Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr suffers heavy defeat against Al Ain in AFC Champions League Elite group stage

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored three goals in seven appearances across all competitions this season. | Photo Credit: AFP

Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite 2026-27 campaign got off to a dismal start as it fell to a 0-4 defeat against UAE club Al Ain in their group stage clash at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Tuesday.

Houssine Rahimi grabbed a brace while Soufiane Rahimi and Giorgos Giakoumakis also found the back of the net on a night when Al Nassr’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo was largely kept quiet.

The UAE outfit took the lead in the 25th minute due to an error from Saad Fahad Al Nasser, who played a back pass to his goalkeeper to relieve some pressure.

However, the ball came straight to Houssine, who anticipated the pass, taking touch into the box before slotting it through the advancing goalkeeper’s legs.

Al Nassr continued to dominate the ball after the restart, but struggled to create any clear-cut chances against an Al Ain back line that stood strong as a unit.

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Houssine doubled the lead in the 63rd minute after putting the ball into an open net after Alejandro Romero laid it on a plate for him with a cross from the right side of the box.

Houssine’s brother Soufiane got in on the action, scoring from close range nine minutes later before setting up substitute Giakoumakis for an easy finish in the 85th minute.

The loss will come as a blow to the reigning Saudi champion, which has just one win in its last four games after starting the season with five consecutive wins in all competitions.

Al Nassr will next face Uzbekistan side Neftchi Fergana in the second matchday of the competition on October 12, while Al Ain will take on Iraq’s Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya on the same day.

The competition is divided equally into two leagues of East and West, with each team playing four matches at home and four away. The top eight teams from each group will advance to the round of 16.