On March 5, Beijing time, the first leg of the AFC Champions League 1 4 finals was rekindled, and the Saudi giants Riyadh won away to challenge the UAE powerhouse Ain. In this high-profile matchup, the Saudi giants unexpectedly broke the upset, lost 0-1 to their opponents, and faced the danger of being eliminated. Cristiano Ronaldo's side failed to gain an advantage in the first leg and will face a huge challenge when they return to home in the second leg.
At the start of the game, Riyadh Victory dominated possession and tried to break the deadlock by organising attacks. However, Team Ain mainly played defensive tactics and waited for the opportunity to convert. In the 29th minute, the goalkeeper of the Ain team opened a long pass to instigate an attack, Rahimi stepped forward to receive the ball and swept the goalkeeper, and Kaku scrambled to score. However, VAR intervened and ruled offside and the goal was disallowed. Despite this, the team did not give up on attacking, and in the 44th minute, Kaku sent a brilliant through ball, Rahimi stopped the ball and pushed the goalkeeper into the empty goal, and the team managed to take a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Riyadh Victory, which was behind, took the lead in making lineup adjustments, strengthening the attack and trying to save the situation. However, the team's performance in attack was not ideal, Ronaldo could not get enough support up front, and the pass success rate was not high. Defensively, Riyadh Victory was terrible and was easily penetrated by their opponents. In the 72nd minute, Rahimi had another one-on-one chance to push a shot into the near corner, but the linesman raised the flag to signal offside.
In the closing stages of the game, Cristiano Ronaldo had a chance to hit the goal from close range, but unfortunately suffered a one-handed save from the goalkeeper. In stoppage time, Riyadh Victory made matters worse, Laporte accidentally knocked down the opposing player in the process of getting rid of the defense, and the referee showed a red card directly after the replay and sent Laporte off the field. This made Riyadh win with one less player, and the situation became more and more passive. In the end, it was the end of full-time, with Riyadh winning 0-1 to Al Ain, and the first-leg defeat put them on the brink of elimination.
The defeat in this game was undoubtedly a heavy blow for Riyadh Victory. As Saudi giants, they have performed well in the AFC Champions League this season and have been regarded as one of the favourites. However, in this crucial match, they were unexpectedly upset and lost to the strong team Ain. The defeat not only made their path to qualification difficult, but also disappointed the fans.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the result of this game is equally worrying. As the core player of the team, Ronaldo performed well in the game, but the overall performance of the team was poor and could not win. If Riyadh Victory can't find their form in the next second leg, then Cristiano Ronaldo and his team could miss out on the last four of the AFC Champions League. This is undoubtedly a huge blow to Ronaldo, who is aiming to win the championship.
However, the charm of the game of football lies in its uncertainty and reversal. Despite the defeat in the first leg, Riyadh Victory still have a chance to find their form in the second leg and try to come back from behind to advance. After all, anything is possible on the football field. Fans will continue to follow the progress of this game and hope that Cristiano Ronaldo and his team can show even better performances in the next games and strive for a better future for themselves.
Overall, the result of the first leg of the AFC Champions League 1 4 finals was a surprise, with Saudi giants Riyadh winning an unexpected upset and losing to Emirati side Al Ain. Cristiano Ronaldo and his team are in danger of being out of the tournament and will need to find their form in the second leg to progress to the last four. The result of this game also once again proved the uncertainty and reversal of the football game, and made the fans full of anticipation and passion for the next game.