Al-Nassr booked their place in the AFC Champions League Elite quarter-finals after beating 10-man Esteghlal 3-0 in their second leg clash, with Jhon Duran netting a brace.
2024/2025 AFC Champions League Elite
3-0
Match Report
Al-Nassr booked their place in the AFC Champions League Elite quarter-finals after beating 10-man Esteghlal 3-0 in their second leg clash, with Jhon Duran netting a brace.
Cristiano Ronaldo was also on target for Stefano Pioli's side, who have now reached the final eight of the competition for the fifth time in their history.
Al-Nassr were ahead in the ninth minute when a poor clearance by Esteghlal goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini, with Duran picking up the ball and lobbing the ball into the net.
The hosts were given the chance to double their advantage just before the half-hour mark after Sadio Mane was fouled inside the area by Mohammad Niknafs.
Ronaldo stepped up and brilliantly dispatched the penalty, placing the ball down the middle to notch his sixth goal in the competition so far this season.
And it went from bad to worse for Esteghlal in first-half stoppage time when Mehran Ahmadi was sent off after picking up his second yellow card when he caught Mohammed Al-Fatil in the face with a flailing arm.
Al-Nassr continued to dominate the contest after the break, with Aiman Yahya seeing his effort cleared off the line, with Duran striking the woodwork on the follow-up.
But the former Aston Villa forward would notch his brace six minutes from time, collecting Angelo's pass before rifling the ball into the bottom left corner with his right foot.
Data Debrief: Al-Nassr find their shooting boots
Having been held to a disappointing draw in the first leg against their Iranian opponents, Al-Nassr ensured they found their clinical edge on Monday to ease past Esteghlal.
The hosts ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.53 from their 22 shots, compared to their opponents' measly 0.06 from the three attempts they mustered.
Ronaldo also ended his three-game goal drought against sides from Iran, having scored at least once against teams from every country he has faced in the competition. He ended the contest having had more shots on target (three) and touches in the opposition box (eight) than any of his team-mates.
Al-Nassr have also now kept a clean sheet in five of their 10 games in the AFC Champions League. Only Yokohama F. Marinos (seven) have managed more in this year's competition.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
6' Highlight from Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
9' GOAL! Al Nassr FC 1-0 Esteghlal (Jhon Durán)
12' Highlight from Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
16' Highlight from Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
18' Match Event for Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
24' Highlight from Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
27' Penalty Goal! Al Nassr FC 2-0 Esteghlal (Cristiano Ronaldo)
35' Match Event for Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
37' Highlight from Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
47' Red Card! Mehran Ahmadi sent off
48' Highlight from Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
51' Highlight from Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
60' Match Event for Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
78' Highlight from Al Nassr FC vs Esteghlal
84' GOAL! Al Nassr FC 3-0 Esteghlal (Jhon Durán)
Line-ups
Al Nassr FC XI: Ronaldo, Brozovic, Mohammed Al-Fatil, Mane, Ali Al-Hassan, Mohamed Simakan, Jhon Durán, Bento, Nawaf Al-Boushal, Ayman Yahya, Salem Al Najdi
Subs: Abdulmajeed Al-Sulayhim, Ahmad Al-Harbi, Ali Lajami, Raghed Al-Najjar, Abdulrahman Ghareeb, Mohammed Marran, Ângelo, Wesley, Majed Qasheesh, Bassam Hazzazi
Esteghlal XI: Seyed Hossein Hosseini, Raphael Silva, R. Rezaeian, Ndong, Zobeir Niknafs, R. Cheshmi, Armin Sohrabian, Alireza Koushki, Joel Kojo, Saleh Hardani, Mehran Ahmadi
Subs: Mohammadhossein Moradmand, Jaloliddin Masharipov, Iman Salimi, Arash Rezavand, Mohammadreza Azadi, Abolfazl Jalali, Amirhossein Nikpour, Amirali Sadeghi, Mohammadreza Khaledabadi, Abolfazl Zamani, Hesam Eskandari, Mojtaba Hasheminasab