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Fans hailed Cristiano Ronaldo, with some claiming he deserves the 2023 Ballon d'Or, after he inspired Al-Nassr to a 4-3 win against Al-Duhail on Tuesday, October 24.
Al-Nassr locked horns against Qatari outfit Al-Duhail at home in the AFC Champions League. The hosts took the lead in the 25th minute after Cristiano Ronaldo assisted Anderson Talisca, who scored in his eighth game in a row.
The Knights of Najd were fortunate not to concede a penalty four minutes later when Nawaf Alaqidi fouled Michael Olunga inside the box. The assistant referee deemed the latter to be offside, giving the home side a massive reprieve.
Al-Duhail's persistence nearly paid off in the 53rd minute but Phillipe Coutinho's effort bounced off the post. The away team were punished in the 56th minute via Sadio Mane's excellent finish.
Cristiano Ronaldo got among with the goals in the six minutes later with a long-range screamer into the top-left corner from his weak foot. However, Al-Duhail immediately responded two minutes later, pulling a goal back through Ismail Mohamad.
Almoez Ali pulled another goal back Al-Duhail in the 66th minute, with his shot deflecting past a helpless Alaqidi. Despite Al-Nassr's defense being all over the place, Ronaldo got his second of the night in the 81st minute, finishing well from a Sultan Al-Ghanam cross.
Olunga bagged a goal four minutes later to set up for a thrilling finale but Al-Nassr were able to hold on to their lead to secure a narrow 4-3 win. They are now at the summit of Group E with nine points from three games.
Fans lavished praise upon Cristiano Ronaldo for his performance. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored a brace, provided one assist, and created three big chances.
One fan claimed that Ronaldo deserves to win the Ballon d'Or award this year, posting on X (formerly Twitter):
"He should be the one they be giving the Ballon d'Or to..."
Another fan wrote:
"He deserves Ballon d'Or"
Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 13 appearances across all competitions, continuing his scintillating run of form this season.
Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland are the favorites to win the 2023 Ballon d'Or due to their superior 2022-23 seasons. But there's no doubt Ronaldo will have a big shout next year if he keeps performing at this level.
Al-Nassr vs Al-Duhail: Exploring stats from Champions League clash as five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo scores brace
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brilliant brace and provided one assist, inspiring Al-Nassr to a 4-3 win against Al-Duhail in the AFC Champions League. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams performed.
Luis Castro's men dominated possession with 55% of the ball. They also completed 489 passes with an accuracy of 88%. In contrast, Al-Duhail had 45% of the ball and registered 406 passes with an accuracy of just 86%.
Despite Al-Nassr boasting more possession, it was Al-Duhail who looked more threatening in front of goal. They had 16 shots in total, landing seven on target but were unable to make the most of their chances. On the other hand, Al-Nassr had 10 shots in total, with five being on target.
