Qatar’s Al-Sadd secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr to clinch a spot in the playoffs of the AFC Champions League. Al-Nassr, having already booked their playoff berth, rested their star player Cristiano Ronaldo, who had scored five goals in his last three matches. Ronaldo watched the game from the sidelines.
Al-Sadd’s Determined Performance
The game saw a closely fought contest, with Al-Sadd taking the lead eight minutes into the second half through Akram Afif. Al-Nassr equalized in the 80th minute when Romain Saiss accidentally scored an own goal, leveling the score at 1-1.
Al-Sadd STUN Al-Nassr with a late winner in the AFC Champions League 😱 🌏 🏆 pic.twitter.com/IUkBdSwlug
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) December 2, 2024
However, in injury time, Al-Sadd was awarded a penalty, which Algeria’s Adam Ounas calmly converted, sealing the win for the Qatari side.
Al-Sadd’s coach Felix Sanchez praised his team’s resilience, saying, “It was a tough and close game. We worked hard to stop Al-Nassr from scoring and to achieve victory in their home stadium. The players gave their best performance.”
Akram Afif's counter-attack to score the first for Al Sadd against Al Nassr. The Qatari side secured their spot in the knock out stage.pic.twitter.com/h8vzkLE4j3
— BabaGol (@BabaGol_) December 3, 2024
Other Important Results
In other matches, Iran’s Esteghlal drew 2-2 with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli in Jeddah. Ivan Toney scored both goals for the hosts, including two penalties, while Rafael Silva and Mohammad Hossein Elsami found the net for Esteghlal.
Iran’s Persepolis earned a 2-1 win against Iraq’s Al-Shorta, while the UAE’s Al-Wasl drew 1-1 with Qatar’s Al-Rayyan in another closely contested game.
With the group stage nearing its end, teams are pushing hard to secure their spots in the playoffs, making every game a high-stakes battle.