NEW DELHI: Cristiano Ronaldo's extra-time goal was not sufficient to secure a victory for Al Nassr as they were eliminated from the Asian Champions League quarter-finals by Al Ain on penalties.
Despite Ronaldo's contribution, scoring the only goal for Al Nassr in the shootout, his Saudi side suffered a 3-1 defeat in the penalty shootout, resulting in a 4-4 aggregate draw.
The 39-year-old Portuguese icon had earlier missed a crucial chance during normal time, failing to convert from close range with the goal unguarded in Riyadh. The tie was forced into extra time after Ronaldo calmly dispatched a penalty in the 118th minute, leveling the score at 4-3 in favor of the hosts.
However, despite Al Nassr's numerical advantage following Ayman Yahya's red card in the 98th minute, they faltered in the shootout, with three of their four attempts unsuccessful.
Notably, former Manchester United player Alex Telles was among the Al Nassr players who failed to convert their penalty kicks.
In the upcoming quarter-finals on Tuesday, Ulsan will take on Jeonbuk in an all-Korean clash, while Saudi sides Al Ittihad and Al Hilal will also compete, with Al Hilal holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.
On Wednesday, Harry Kewell's Yokohama F-Marinos will host Chinese side Shandong Taishan with a 2-1 lead from the initial encounter.
(With inputs from AFP)
