Riyadh: Jhon Duran scored twice, and Cristiano Ronaldo net a penalty as Al Nassr drove to a 3-0 win over Esteghlal and sealed their place in the AFC Champions League-Elite quarterfinals on Monday.
Ronaldo, Al Nassr Captain, was reportedly rested to last week’s speechless draw in the first stage in Iran, but returned to look since at Al Awwal Park.
He scored from the scene midway through the first half.
Al Nassr, one of three Saudi sides to dominate the West region’s group step, needed only nine minutes to take the lead in Riyadh.
Duran, a winter that signed from the English Premier League -Side Aston Villa, picked up a loose ball on the right edge of the Esteghlale penalty kick and flowed an excellent chip over goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini.
It marked the striker’s first goal in the competition.
Al Nassr doubled their advantage of 27 minutes after Sadio Mané, a UEFA Champions League winner with Liverpool, drew a mistake from the rival midfielder Zobeir Niknafs inside the Esteghlal box.
Ronaldo random randomly the spot parcel into the middle of the net to take his number in this year’s Champions League Elite to seven goals in six appearances.
The Portuguese star is the leading goal scorer in this season’s Saudi Pro League with 18 goals.
Esteghlal’s evening got even worse just before half-time when they were reduced to 10 men after Mehran Ahmadi accidentally caught all Nassr defender Mohammed Al Fatil with a straying arm in his face while trying to protect the ball.
If the violation was upgraded to a yellow card, and with Ahmadi, who had previously been booked, he was immediately sent out.
Al nassr went close to adding one -third at the beginning of the second half. First, Duran had an effort saved, only for Ayman Yahya’s rebound to be cleared from the line.
Minutes later, Duran knocked the Esteghlal cross bar with a shot from a distance.
However, Al Nassr Front would not be denied his other, pulling a low shot inside the nearest post after being together by the former Chelsea edge Angelo.
In Monday’s second match, two-time Asian Masters booked Al Sadd their place in the last eight with a 4-2 overall win against the UAE Champions al Wasl.
Visitors held for a 1-1 draw in the first stage in Dubai a week earlier took an early lead through Fabio Lima.
However, Al Sadd responded with three goals in 10 minutes just before half -hour field, with Mostafa Meshaal, Youcef Atal and Akram AFIF, who found the web. AFIF is this year’s reigning Asian player.
