Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Al Nassr showcased their dominance in Group D of the AFC Champions League Two with a resounding 4-0 victory over FC Goa at the King Saud University Stadium on Wednesday. Despite resting Cristiano Ronaldo and other key players, the Saudi Arabian giants proved too strong for the Indian side, securing their fourth consecutive win in the competition.
Abdulrahman Ghareeb emerged as the star of the match, scoring a brace to put Al Nassr in a commanding position. His first goal came in the 35th minute with a stunning free-kick that hit the underside of the bar before finding the net. Ghareeb doubled his tally in the 53rd minute, latching onto a through ball from Ali Alhassan and calmly slotting it past Goa's goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari.
Mohammed Maran further extended Al Nassr's lead in the 65th minute, capitalizing on slack defending to score from close range after a low cross from Nawaf Bu Washl. The icing on the cake came in the 84th minute when substitutes Joao Felix and Sadio Mane combined to produce a spectacular goal. Mane delivered a cross that Felix finished with an impressive bicycle kick, sealing the 4-0 victory for Al Nassr.
Al Nassr controlled the game from the outset, dictating the tempo and maintaining possession for over 70% of the time. FC Goa, while showing moments of resilience, struggled to create clear-cut chances and were unable to penetrate Al Nassr's defense. Goa's best chance came in the 63rd minute when Dejan Drazic forced a save from Al Nassr's goalkeeper Raghid Najjar.
The absence of Cristiano Ronaldo did not seem to affect Al Nassr's attacking prowess, as Ghareeb and others stepped up to deliver a dominant performance. The win solidified Al Nassr's position at the top of Group D, while FC Goa remained at the bottom of the table with no points.
Al Nassr's coach, Jorge Jesus, opted to rotate his squad, giving opportunities to players like Harouane Camara and Mohammed Maran. Meanwhile, FC Goa's coach, Manolo Marquez, made three changes to the side that lost to Al Nassr in the reverse fixture last month. Despite the changes, Goa were unable to match Al Nassr's quality and succumbed to their fourth straight defeat in the AFC Champions League Two.
The match highlighted Al Nassr's strength in depth and their ability to perform even without their star players. For FC Goa, it was another disappointing result in their continental campaign, leaving them with much to ponder as they look to improve their performances in the remaining matches.
