Tue Sep 17 05:21:01 UTC 2024: ## Ronaldo’s Absence Doesn’t Halt Al Nassr’s Stumble in Asian Champions League Opener

**Baghdad, Iraq:** Al Nassr, the Saudi Arabian club featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, kicked off their Asian Champions League campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Al Shorta in Baghdad on Monday. Ronaldo was absent from the match due to a viral infection, as confirmed by the club.

Al Nassr, who were eliminated in the quarter-finals of last year’s tournament, started strong with a 14th-minute goal by Sultan Al Ghannam. However, the hosts leveled the score ten minutes later after a defensive mix-up allowed Mohammed Dawood to score.

Meanwhile, fellow Saudi club Al Ahli secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Iranian side Persepolis in Jeddah. New signing Ivan Toney, making his Asian debut, won a penalty for Al Ahli but missed a golden opportunity to score in the closing stages.

Defending champions Al Ain, meanwhile, drew 1-1 at home to Qatar’s Al Sadd in their opening match. Akram Afif, the 2019 Asian Footballer of the Year, opened the scoring for Al Sadd before Al Ain equalised late in the match.

In other matches, Esteghlal of Iran defeated Al Gharafa of Qatar 3-0, while the tournament’s new format, featuring 24 teams across two regions, was officially launched. The top eight teams from each region will progress to the knockout stages early next year.

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