Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite encounter against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana was overshadowed by security concerns after a missile threat triggered a one-hour delay to the match in Riyadh.
The kickoff for Al-Nassr’s Asian Champions League (ACL) Elite match against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana on Monday was delayed by an hour following a security alert in Riyadh, forcing Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates to wait before taking the field.
Saudi Arabia has been struck by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have hit their oil facilities and transport junctions and claimed responsibility for the attack. The Houthis also launched a vicious string of attacks at the King Khalid International Airport, leaving 13 dead and over 300 injured, escalating the war in the Middle East.
Al-Nassr’s ACL clash delayed due to Houthi strikes
According to a Saudi military spokesperson, the forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile which was heading towards Riyadh, where the Al-Nassr-Neftchi Fergana ACL clash was supposed to take place at Al-Awwal Park.
As the scheduled 9:15 PM local-time kickoff drew close, the stadium announcer urged supporters to remain calm and stay in their seats, while broadcasters confirmed the match would be delayed by one hour.
The match eventually got underway at 10:15 PM local time after authorities confirmed that the security threat had been cleared, with the game proceeding smoothly and concluding without any incidents on or off the field.
More from Football NewsAl-Nassr seal comprehensive victory
Al-Nassr delivered a strong performance in the delayed ACL Elite clash, securing a 3-1 victory over Neftchi. The SPL side held on to the momentum since kickoff, with Angelo Gabriel opening the team’s goal-scoring account in the 33rd minute.
Ronaldo followed up with a brilliant score just nine minutes after, netting his 981st goal across club and international matches as he is en route to 1000 professional goals.
Alisher Odilov struck a goal for Neftchi in the 51st minute, but an own goal from Anvarjon Gofurov in the 78th minute handed Al Nassr leverage, and the match ended with a 3-1 scoreline in favour of Al-Nassr.