Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr suffered a heartbreaking exit from the Asian Champions League quarter-finals, losing 3-1 on penalties to Al-Ain in an intense match on Monday.
Despite Al-Nassr's 4-3 victory in the second leg, overturning a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, the aggregate score tied at 4-4, leading to a decisive penalty shootout in which Al-Ain emerged victorious.
Al-Nassr's foreign stars Miroslav Brozovic, Alex Telles, and Otavio faltered from the spot, allowing Al-Ain to advance to the semi-finals. They will face either Al-Hilal or Al-Ittihad from Saudi Arabia next month.
Al-Ain's goalkeeper Khalid Eisa redeemed himself with a crucial save on Brozovic's penalty. With goals from Soufiane Rahimi, Kaku, and Sultan Al Shamsi, Al-Ain secured their spot in the next round, while Otavio's miss sealed Al-Nassr's fate.
The thrilling match at Al-Awwal Park saw seven goals, a red card, and dramatic moments. Despite Rahimi's brace giving Al-Ain an advantage in the first half, Abdulrahman Ghareeb's late goal kept Al-Nassr's hopes alive.
Al-Nassr's Ayman Yahya's dismissal in extra time added to the tension, but Ronaldo's late penalty forced the game into a shootout. However, Ronaldo was the sole scorer for Al-Nassr, as Al-Ain progressed to the semi-finals for the first time since 2016.
In the other half of the draw, South Korean teams Jeonbuk Motors and Ulsan Hyundai will clash after a 1-1 draw last week. Meanwhile, Harry Kewell's Yokohama F Marinos will aim to defend their 2-1 lead against Chinese Super League side Shandong Taishan on Wednesday.
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