Time to AFC Champions League Two
Today, Monday, as we kick off a new week and eagerly await this afternoon’s match between Al Ahli and Vissel Kobe, it’s time to take a look back at the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League Two. Asia’s second-tier continental tournament and the one everyone hopes Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will win...
CR7, one step more
Yesterday Al Nassr made clear its ambition to win the AFC Champions League Two. The team, led by Portuguese coach Rui Vitória, gave the home side Al Wasl no chance, thrashing them 4-0 in the quarterfinal match. Cristiano Ronaldo, returning from injury, opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a precise shot, scoring his 969th career goal. Before halftime, Iñigo Martínez (24’) and Abdulelah Al-Amri (26’) extended the lead with shots from inside the box, effectively sealing the match. In the second half, Sadio Mané sealed the victory in the 80th minute.
Al Nassr, which had already shown its strength in the group stage, advances confidently to the semifinals and positions itself as one of the tournament’s top favorites. The Saudi team is now just two games away from winning the title. Al Ahli in semifinal and Gamba Osaka await in the final.
Al Ahli and William Draxler wins too
Qatar’s Al Ahli SC took a decisive step toward the continental title by eliminating Jordan’s Al Hussein with a convincing 3-1 victory in their AFC Champions League Two quarterfinal match.
The game showcased the Qatari side’s technical superiority. Erik Expósito put the home team ahead just two minutes into the game with a precise finish. Al Hussein temporarily equalized through Yousef Qashi (21’), but Julian Draxler, a former PSG player, restored the lead in the 65th minute, paving the way for the Qatari victory. In the final minutes, Michel Vlap scored the decisive 3-1 goal in the 90+7th minute, sealing the team’s advancement to the semifinals.
The victory validates the management’s commitment to the second continental tournament and sets the stage for a Champions League-caliber semifinal against Al Nassr.