Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the 981st goal of his career in the most extraordinary of circumstances, finding the net for Al-Nassr in an AFC Champions League Elite match that was delayed by an hour after ballistic missiles were intercepted over Riyadh. The 3-1 win over Uzbekistan's Neftchi Fergana gave Ange Postecoglou's side their first victory of the continental campaign — but the football was almost overshadowed by events off the pitch.
Kick-off at Al-Awwal Park was abruptly put on hold just 15 minutes before the scheduled start on Monday night, when Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence issued an urgent safety warning. The Saudi-led military coalition confirmed that ballistic missiles launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen had been intercepted and destroyed in the air; at least three explosions were heard across the capital. A sparse crowd stayed in their seats as the teams waited for clearance.
An hour of waiting in Riyadh
The delay disrupted preparations on one of the strangest nights in recent Asian club football. Riyadh has repeatedly been a target for missile strikes launched by Yemen-based Houthi forces, and the capital's airport had been attacked in recent days. Once security clearance was given, the match could proceed — roughly an hour behind schedule — under the watch of authorities responding to the alert.
The incident is a reminder of how the regional conflict continues to intrude on sport. Reports noted that future sporting events in the region could be affected, including Formula 1 races scheduled in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Ronaldo takes centre stage again
When the football finally began, the 41-year-old delivered as only he can. Brazilian attacker Angelo Gabriel opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, and Ronaldo doubled the lead in the 42nd — the 981st goal of his career and his 134th since joining Al-Nassr in January 2023. It continued a scoring run that began the previous Friday on his return to club football.
Neftchi pulled a goal back six minutes into the second half through Alisher Odilov, but their hopes faded when they were reduced to ten men in the 65th minute. An own goal thirteen minutes later sealed the 3-1 result and a first Group B victory for the hosts.
First win after the Al Ain humiliation
The victory was badly needed. Al-Nassr had opened their ACL Elite campaign with a 4-0 humbling by UAE champions Al Ain last month, and Postecoglou — the former Tottenham manager — had been under pressure to get the continental season moving. The win moves them off the mark in Group B and restores a measure of belief after a result that had raised serious questions about the club's Asian credentials.
Domestically, the picture is healthier: the defending champions sit third in the Saudi Pro League after eight rounds, two points behind rivals Al-Hilal. For a squad assembled at enormous expense to dominate at home and compete in Asia, the Neftchi result was the minimum expected — but after the Al Ain debacle, even the expected can feel like relief.
The win steadies the ship for a squad built to compete on both fronts, and it keeps alive the ambitions of a club that expects to be challenging for Asia's premier club competition.
