Al Nassr domina Istiklol 5-0 en ACL 2 abridor sin Cristiano Ronaldo | Noticias de fútbol saudita - The Times of India

Al Nassr delivered a stunning display of their squad's formidable depth, steaming to a ruthless 5-0 victory over defending Tajik champions FC Istiklol in their AFC Champions League 2 opener.

Playing at home, the Saudi giants were unfazed by the complete absence of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo from the 23-man squad. Furthermore, the world-class feet of Sadio Mané, Marcelo Brozovic, and Kingsley Coman were rested, starting the match from the bench. However, their eventual introduction proved devastating.

Substitutes run riot in second half, leading Al Nassr to a comfortable victory

The tone of the match was set early in the first half, as Al Nassr seized control of the game with relentless pressure and fluid attacking play. Abdulrahman Ghareeb, the undisputed Player of the Match, opened the scoring with a clinical right-footed shot in the 14th minute. Just three minutes later, the lead was doubled by Angelo, who coolly finished a chance created by Ghareeb. The first half ended 2-0, but Al Nassr's statistical dominance, boasting 76% possession, told the story of a side in absolute command against an overwhelmed Istiklol.

The second half picked up where the first left off, with Al Nassr continuing to dictate the tempo.

The Saudi Pro League leaders, who currently sit first in their domestic table, further extended their advantage in the 59th minute when midfielder Wesley found the back of the net, assisted by Sultan Al Ghanam. With the game firmly in hand, the overpowering bench talents of Al Nassr came to the forefront. In the 66th minute, Sadio Mané, Brozovic, and Kingsley Coman were subbed in to add more pace and lethality to the attack.

The impact of the fresh legs proved to be positive as the game reached its climax. In the 89th minute, Kingsley Coman made it 4-0, capping off a dominant performance with a goal shortly after his arrival.

The final nail in the coffin was hammered in during stoppage time. Sadio Mané, eager to get on the scoresheet, scored in the 93rd minute, with the brilliant Abdulrahman Ghareeb providing his second assist of the night. The goals from the high-profile substitutes underscored the incredible offensive firepower Al Nassr possesses. Istiklol, who are third in the ongoing Tajik league, battled hard but were simply outclassed, their frustration showing with yellow cards for J. Okoro and R. Dzhalilov. The final statistics were stark: 16 total shots for Al Nassr with 8 on target, compared to just 3 total shots for the visitors. This commanding victory sends a powerful message to the rest of the competition about Al Nassr's ambitions.The comprehensive victory immediately places Al Nassr at the top of Group D after the first round of matches. With 3 points and a commanding goal difference of +5, they sit in the primary qualification spot. Iraqi side Al Zawraa also secured a win in their opening fixture, placing them second with 3 points and a +2 goal difference. FC Goa and FC Istiklol are currently third and fourth respectively, both without a point to their name. With only the top two teams from the group advancing to the next stage, Al Nassr has established a strong early foundation for their qualification campaign. Their only aim for now would be the silverware and quality for the ACL Elite in the upcoming season.