Al Nassr, missing their star player Cristiano Ronaldo due to a viral infection, struggled to secure more than a 1-1 draw against Al Shorta in Baghdad in their opening match of the revamped Asian Champions League. Sultan Al Ghannam gave Al Nassr an early lead, scoring in the 14th minute, but Al Shorta equalized ten minutes later through Mohammed Dawood after a defensive error by Al Nassr’s new signings.
Meanwhile, fellow Saudi side Al Ahli managed a narrow 1-0 win against Iran’s Persepolis in Jeddah, with Franck Kessie scoring early from a Riyad Mahrez assist. Persepolis missed a penalty after a VAR review overturned the decision, and Al Ahli’s Mahrez also had a penalty saved.
Other notable results from the tournament included Al Ain’s 1-1 draw against Qatar’s Al Sadd and Esteghlal’s 3-0 win over Al Gharafa. The tournament features a new format with 24 teams, split between West and East Asia, with the top eight from each group advancing to the knockout stages.
