Missile Threat Delays Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr Match in Saudi Arabia by an Hour

Missile Alert Delays Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr Match by an Hour in Saudi Arabia

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr endured an unexpected delay before their AFC Champions League Elite clash against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana on Monday, as a security alert in Riyadh forced the match to kick off an hour later than scheduled.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued a safety warning around 15 minutes before the scheduled start, amid heightened security concerns following missile attacks claimed by Yemen-based Houthi rebels in recent days. The Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh on Monday, while at least three explosions were reportedly heard in the city that evening.

The alert disrupted preparations at Al-Awwal Park, where both teams were scheduled to begin their continental campaign. With the situation being assessed, players and spectators had to wait for clearance before the fixture could proceed. A relatively sparse crowd remained in the stands during the delay.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence later announced that the danger had passed, allowing the match to resume preparations and eventually get underway after an hour-long interruption.

Despite the tense atmosphere surrounding kick-off, Al-Nassr delivered a convincing performance to secure a 3-1 victory, with Ronaldo finding the net before half-time.

Ronaldo strikes as Al-Nassr secure victory

Angelo Gabriel opened the scoring for Al-Nassr in the 33rd minute with a deflected effort, putting the hosts ahead after the delayed start. Ronaldo extended the advantage nine minutes later with a well-taken finish.

The move began with Sadio Mane delivering a looping cross from the left flank. Aiman Yahya controlled the ball with his chest and directed it into Ronaldo’s path, allowing the Portuguese forward to turn and fire a shot into the bottom corner.

The goal gave the 41-year-old Ronaldo and his teammates a comfortable 2-0 lead heading into half-time.

Neftchi Fergana responded shortly after the restart, with Alisher Odilov scoring in the 51st minute to reduce the deficit and revive the visitors’ hopes of mounting a comeback.

However, the Uzbek side suffered a major setback in the 65th minute when Ikromjon Alibaev was shown a red card for a foul on Mohamed Simakan, leaving his team with 10 players.

Al-Nassr capitalised on their numerical advantage to seal the result in the 78th minute, when Neftchi defender Anvarjon Gofurov inadvertently scored an own goal.

The 3-1 victory gave Al-Nassr a winning start to their continental campaign after an evening in which security concerns had threatened to overshadow the football. Ronaldo’s goal and the team’s overall performance ultimately ensured that the focus returned to the action on the pitch.