Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty and former Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran netted twice as Al-Nassr secured a spot in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League by defeating Iranian side Esteghlal.
Following a goalless draw in the first leg, in which Ronaldo was absent, the Saudi team wasted no time in taking the lead.
Jhon Duran capitalized on a poor pass from Seted Hosseini, showcasing his skill by lobbing the ball into the net.
Ronaldo came close with a free-kick before successfully scoring a penalty kick that was earned by former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane.
Esteghlal’s task became even more difficult before halftime as Mehran Ahmdi received a second yellow card and was sent off.
This setback deflated Esteghlal’s hopes, and after Ronaldo had a couple of near misses, Duran managed to score a third goal by finishing off a pass from Angelo at close range.
Despite never having won the AFC Champions League, Al-Nassr will await the draw on Friday, March 14th to determine their opponents in the quarter-finals.
Ronaldo has tasted success in the Champions League five times in Europe, winning with Manchester United in 2008 and Real Madrid in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018.