Rahimi brothers torment Ronaldo as Al Ain batter Al Nassr in AFC opener
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| Nassr's Portuguese forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo attempts a scissors kick during the AFC Champions League Elite (ACL) football match between Al-Ain and Al-Nassr at the Azza Bin Zayed stadium in Al-Ain on September 15, 2026. AFP-FADEL SENNA |
Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr came to Al Ain with a team packed with some of the biggest names in football.
They left having been completely outplayed.
Al Ain produced a superb performance to defeat Al Nassr 4-0 at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in their AFC Champions League Elite opener, on a night when very little went right for Ronaldo and his teammates.
And once again, the name Rahimi was at the heart of Al Nassr’s problems.
Rahimi brothers run the show
Houssine Rahimi, the younger brother of Al Ain star Soufiane Rahimi, scored twice before his older brother added the third.
Houssine’s opening goal came after a poor back pass from Saad Al Nasser presented him with the opportunity. The 24 year old kept his composure and finished calmly.
He struck again in the second half before his older brother joined the party.
Soufiane scored Al Ain’s third before Giorgos Giakoumakis completed the rout with the fourth.
Houssine with two. Soufiane with one.
It was the Rahimi brothers show in Al Ain.
And there is some history here too.
Soufiane was one of the main reasons Al Ain knocked Ronaldo and Al Nassr out of the AFC Champions League in 2024. He scored the winner in the first leg and then struck twice in Riyadh as Al Ain eventually progressed on penalties.
More than two years later, his younger brother joined him in causing the Saudi side more misery.
Ronaldo left frustrated
For Al Nassr, it was an abysmal night.
A side featuring Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and João Félix simply could not find an answer to Al Ain.
Ronaldo became increasingly frustrated as the match progressed as he wasn't getting enough service from his teammates.
Even when the Portuguese star finally got a late opportunity from a free kick, UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa was there to deny him. Eisa also made another brilliant save earlier in the second half.
What a night for Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite.
And what a terrible evening for Ronaldo and Co.
Al Nassr returned to Asia’s biggest club competition dreaming of finally conquering it with Ronaldo.
Their first night back could hardly have gone worse.
- Shamseer Mohammed
