Al Nassr Fail To Beat FC Istiklol In Tajikistan After Resting Cristiano Ronaldo

Originally posted on FanNation Futbol
By Robert Summerscales | Last updated Dec 5, 2023 1:53 PM ET

Al Nassr labored to a 1-1 draw with FC Istiklol in Tajikistan on Tuesday after resting captain Cristiano Ronaldo.

With top spot in AFC Champions League Group E already secured, Al Nassr decided not to call upon 38-year-old Ronaldo, who had scored in a 3-1 win over Istiklol in the reverse fixture in Saudi Arabia in October.

Al Nassr also left Marcelo Brozovic out of Tuesday's matchday squad, while Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte were unused substitutes at the Tajikistan Central Stadium.

Istiklol finished bottom of Group E after failing to win any of their six games, but the Tajik champions took the lead on Tuesday when captain Alisher Dzhalilov found the net with a low strike from long range.

The away side equalized early in the second half when Abdulrahman Ghareeb smashed home a rebound from six yards after his initial effort had hit keeper Rustam Yatimov's chest.

Highlights: FC Istiklol 1-1 Al Nassr

Al Nassr ended the group stage with 14 points from a possible 18, having scored 13 goals - including three from Ronaldo - and conceded seven.

The draw for the knockout stage will take place on December 21, with the round of 16 scheduled to be played in February.

Al Nassr have already won one trophy this season. Ronaldo scored six goals in the club's triumphant 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup campaign in July and August.

Ronaldo and Co have also progressed to the quarter-finals of the King Cup.

But Al Nassr's bid to win the Saudi Pro League was dealt a major setback last week by a 3-0 defeat at title rivals Al-Hilal.

That result left Al Nassr seven points behind Al-Hilal.

This article first appeared on FanNation Futbol and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: