Sports
Goalkeeper frustrates Ronaldo, Al Nassr
Cristiano Ronaldo’s hopes of winning his first trophy with Al Nassr ended in heartbreak after the Saudi club suffered a 1-0 defeat to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final.
Al Nassr went into the final as clear favourites, having enjoyed a flawless run of 10 victories from 10 matches in the competition. Despite rotating their squad due to domestic league commitments, the Saudi side appeared well-positioned to complete their impressive campaign with silverware.
However, Gamba Osaka delivered a disciplined defensive display, with goalkeeper Araki producing several key saves to frustrate Ronaldo and his teammates.
The decisive moment arrived shortly after the break when Hummet scored the only goal of the match to hand the Japanese side the lead.
Al Nassr responded by piling pressure on their opponents in search of an equaliser, with Joao Felix among those who came close, but Gamba Osaka held firm to seal the title and deny Ronaldo a maiden trophy since joining the club.