Ronaldo and Al Nassr defeated Iranian team Persepolis 2-0 in the first match of the AFC Champions League. This win also helped the Portuguese superstar reach the milestone of 1,000 matches without losing in his careerBefore the match, Ronaldo took a meaningful action when visiting Iranian artist Fatemeh Hamami. She is 34 years old and is paralyzed on 85% of her body due to complications during birth. Through effort, Fatemeh Hamami has practiced drawing with two feet since childhood. She also showed her admiration for Ronaldo by giving him two portraits.
Ronaldo’s actions received many compliments from Iranian fans
The match between Al Nassr and Persepolis took place at Azadi Stadium with a capacity of 78,000 spectators. However, spectators will not be allowed to enter the stadium because Persepolis is still under penalty from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for posting inappropriate posts on social networks in 2020. Tens of thousands of people stood outside the stadium. Azadi and chanted Ronaldo’s nаme.
As usual, Al Nassr launched a squad with many good players. All five foreign players of the team, including Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Laporte, Otavio and Brozovic, are in the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Georgian defender Giorgi Gvelesiani is the only foreign player on Persepolis’ side.
In the first match in the AFC Champions League, Ronaldo was constantly passed the ball by his teammates. The Portuguese striker played 89 minutes and touched the ball 27 times. However, Ronaldo was disappointing when he lost the ball 11 times. On the other hand, Al Nassr’s captain received special care from Persepolis’s defenders and had to constantly drop deep. The biggest mark that Ronaldo left in this match was when he caused Persepolis midfielder Milad Sarlak to foul and receive a red card in the 52nd minute.
The Persepolis player received a red card for fouling Ronaldo
According to statistics from Sofascore , Ronaldo only made 2 shots during his time on the field. This is the match in which Ronaldo took the fewest shots since joining Al Nassr . The 38-year-old’s best chance came in the 20th minute when Brozovic had a precise cross into the Persepolis penalty area. Unfortunately, in a comfortable position, Ronaldo finished right in the position of goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand. At the end of the match, Ronaldo only received 6.1 points, the lowest on Al Nassr’s side.
Although Ronaldo played disappointingly, the Saudi Arabian team still won all 3 points. Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Mohammed Qassem scored in the 62nd and 72nd minutes respectively to help Al Nassr win 2-0 away from home.
The victory with Al Nassr helped Ronaldo have a record of 1,000 matches without losing in his career (winning 776 matches and drawing 224 matches). After the match, the Portuguese player shared about the unforgettable impression: “It’s great to win today! I thank the fans and all the Iranian people for this match. A very warm welcome and an exceptional record.”
Ronaldo celebrates with his teammates after Al Nassr’s victory
AL NASSR
The 2-0 victory over Persepolis helped Al Nassr top Group E, 2 points ahead of Al Duhail – the team led by Argentine football legend Hernan Crespo. In the second match, Ronaldo and his teammates will return to Mrsool Park’s home field to face this same opponent.
