Al Nassr wins 6-2 in Uzbekistan without Ronaldo

Al Nassr wins 6-2 in Uzbekistan without Ronaldo

Why this is important

Al Nassr's win against Pakhtakor Tashkent shows the team's strength in the AFC Champions League Elite, even without Cristiano Ronaldo. Joao Felix has established himself as a key player and proved that Al Nassr have a deep attack capable of dominating even without their stars. This could be crucial for the upcoming league games, especially if Ronaldo needs to be rested.

Background

Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Nassr's 41-year-old superstar, was rested for the match against Pakhtakor Tashkent to maintain his fitness. This shows that the club is planning strategically to ensure they remain competitive in the AFC Champions League Elite. However, Ronaldo remains a key figure in the team and is expected to return in future games.

Key findings

• Al Nassr wins 6-2 in Uzbekistan without Ronaldo.
• Al Nassr beat Pakhtakor Tashkent 6-2 in the AFC Champions League despite Cristiano Ronaldo not playing.
• Al Nassr đại thắng khi vắng Ronaldo.

Al Nassr has proven that the team is capable of scoring goals even without their superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. In the away game against the Uzbek club Pakhtakor Tashkent on November 2, 2023, the team from Saudi Arabia clearly won 6-2. Joao Felix was the big hero of the game and scored two goals. Coach Ange Postecoglou decided to rest Ronaldo for this game in order to ease the 41-year-old's fitness after a strenuous phase with many games and travel. The two top performers Kingsley Coman and Mohammed Simakan were also not selected for this game. According to Postecoglou, this is a measure to rotate the squad and not specific measures for Ronaldo. However, the team didn't seem to notice the lack of stars as they took the lead after just 15 minutes. Abdullah Al Hamdan made it 1-0 for the guests with a shot from close range after a pass from Joao Felix. Two minutes later, Felix made it 2-0 when he converted a pass from Sadio Mane. As a result, Al Nassr controlled the game and increased it to 3-0 in the 32nd minute. After another pass from Sadio Mane, Felix scored again. The hosts were not very dangerous in the first half, but were able to score a goal in the 36th minute. Akmal Mozgovoy scored to make it 1-3, but had to take a quick look at the scoreboard because the VAR had disallowed a goal from him in the first half due to an offside position. In the second half, Al Nassr quickly restored the old three-goal gap. In the 53rd minute, Abdulelah Al Amri made it 4-1 after a corner from Joao Felix. Just ten minutes later, in the 62nd minute, Abdulrahman Ghareeb increased the score to 5-1. However, Pakhtakor did not give up yet and scored 2:5 in the 75th minute. But just four minutes later, Al Nassr restored the old distance. Angelo scored the 6:2 for the guests. This win shows that Al Nassr is not completely dependent on Ronaldo to score goals. Joao Felix was the best player on the pitch and received a grade of 9.6 according to the statistics site Fotmob. Abdullah Al Hamdan, who replaced Ronaldo in this game, was also involved in two goals. Al Nassr's AFC Champions League Elite group stage got off to a bad start as they lost their first game against Al Ain 4-0. They then won against Neftchi Tashkent 3-1. The game against Al Wasl has been postponed until next year. With the win against Pakhtakor Tashkent, Al Nassr climbs to 4th place in the group. In the next match of the Saudi Arabian League, Al Nassr will face Al Hazem on November 6, 2023.

What happens next

Al Nassr are expected to continue to rely on squad rotation to maintain the fitness of their players as they prepare for the next challenges in the AFC Champions League Elite. Joao Felix's performance could see him play a central role in the next few games. Fans and analysts will be eagerly watching how the team develops without Ronaldo.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the match between Al Nassr and Pakhtakor Tashkent?

Al Nassr clearly won the away game against Pakhtakor Tashkent 6:2.

Who was the hero of the game?

Joao Felix was the big hero of the game and scored two goals.

Why was Cristiano Ronaldo rested for this game?

Coach Ange Postecoglou decided to rest Ronaldo to ease his fitness after a strenuous phase.

What changes were made to Al Nassr's squad for this game?

In addition to Ronaldo, there were also ch Kingsley Coman and Mohammed Simakan not nominated.

What did coach Ange Postecoglou say about the squad rotation?

Postecoglou explained that the measures were intended to rotate the squad and were not specifically aimed at Ronaldo.

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