Ronaldo scores as Al Nassr beat Neftchi 3-1 for first ACL Elite win while Al Ain and Esteghlal stay perfect
Al Nassr bounced back from their 4-0 loss to Al Ain with a 3-1 win over Neftchi in Riyadh, as Al Ain and Esteghlal made it two wins from two in the West.
Cristiano Ronaldo got on the scoresheet as Al Nassr won their first points of the 2026/27 AFC Champions League Elite, beating Uzbekistan's Neftchi 3-1 in Riyadh on Monday, 12 October. The win came on a busy evening in the West Region, where Al Ain and Esteghlal both made it two wins from two and Saudi sides Al Ahli and Al Qadsiah also picked up points.
Al Nassr respond after Al Ain thrashing
Ange Postecoglou's side had opened the league stage with a heavy 4-0 defeat away to Al Ain in September, a result that put the new coach under early pressure. Against Neftchi they took control before half-time. Brazilian forward Angelo opened the scoring in the first half, and Ronaldo added the second three minutes before the break to make it 2-0.
Neftchi pulled one back six minutes after the restart through Alisher Odilov, giving the visitors brief hope. Al Nassr restored their two-goal cushion late on when Neftchi defender Anvarjon Gofurov turned the ball into his own net while trying to block Ronaldo. The AFC described the performance as the right response to the opening-night loss in the UAE.
The three points get Al Nassr off the mark, but they still have work to do to reach the top eight, who go through to the round of 16.
Al Ain and Esteghlal keep perfect records
Al Ain, who beat Al Nassr on matchday one, kept up their scoring form with a 4-1 win away to Iraq's Al Quwa Al Jawiya (Air Force Club) in Basra. Alejandro Romero struck early, an own goal doubled the lead, and Houssine Rahimi scored twice before half-time to settle the game well before the hosts' late consolation. Al Ain now have six points and a goal difference of plus seven.
Iran's Esteghlal are also on six points after beating Qatar's Al Gharafa 2-1 in Qatar, with Hossein Goudarzi scoring the winner on the hour. Esteghlal's next league-stage match is away to Shabab Al Ahli on 27 October.
Points for Al Ahli and Al Qadsiah
Saudi side Al Ahli recorded their first win of the campaign with a 3-1 victory over Al Wasl at Zabeel Stadium in Dubai, with Roger Ibanez putting them in front in the 20th minute. That took Al Ahli to four points.
Al Qadsiah are also on four points after a 1-1 draw with Pakhtakor in Tashkent. Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders put the Saudi club ahead before the break, but Dostonbek Khamdamov levelled late from the penalty spot. The other West fixture, Tractor against Qatar's Al Shamal, finished 0-0.
What comes next
Matchday two in the West continues with Al Sadd against Al Hilal and Al Ittihad against Shabab Al Ahli, which kick off at midnight and 2.15am Malaysia time on Wednesday, 14 October. The East Region, which includes Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim, plays its second round of games on 13 and 14 October. Matchday three follows from 26 to 28 October.
Under the league-stage format, each club plays eight matches, four at home and four away, against different opponents from their region. The top eight in each region advance. Malaysian viewers can follow the competition on Astro, which holds AFC club competition rights in Malaysia until the end of the 2028-29 season.
Key takeaways
- Al Nassr beat Neftchi 3-1 in Riyadh for their first ACL Elite points after losing 4-0 to Al Ain.
- Angelo and Ronaldo scored before half-time; Neftchi's Alisher Odilov replied before a late own goal.
- Al Ain (4-1 at Al Quwa Al Jawiya) and Esteghlal (2-1 at Al Gharafa) have six points from two games.
- Al Ahli won 3-1 at Al Wasl, Al Qadsiah drew 1-1 in Tashkent, and Tractor drew 0-0 with Al Shamal.
FAQ
Who scored for Al Nassr against Neftchi? Angelo and Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the first half, and the third goal was an own goal by Neftchi's Anvarjon Gofurov.
Which West Region teams have a perfect record after two games? Al Ain and Esteghlal, both on six points after two wins.
When is the next ACL Elite matchday? Matchday three is scheduled for 26 to 28 October 2026.
Sources: AFC, UzDaily, The Sports Encounter, Tehran Times, Goal, Inside World Football