In the second matchday of the AFC Champions League Elite, Uzbekistan champions Neftchi Fergana traveled to face Saudi powerhouse Al Nassr. The encounter, held in Riyadh, concluded with a 3:1 victory for the hosts, highlighting the persistent defensive frailties of the visitors throughout the ninety minutes.

During the opening half, the Saudi side established control over the pitch, capitalizing on defensive lapses to net two goals. Angelo opened the scoring before the veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo supposedly netted the 981st goal of his extensive career in the 42nd minute, extending his team's comfortable lead before the interval.

Early in the second half, substitute Alisher Odilov exploited a defensive error to narrow the deficit in the 51st minute, temporarily injecting intrigue back into the fixture. However, the game shifted dramatically in the 65th minute when Neftchi midfielder Ikrom Alibayev received a red card for a reckless challenge in the center of the pitch, reducing the visitors to ten men.

Forced to play a man down, the Uzbek side struggled to mount a meaningful comeback, and Anvar Gafurov's own goal in the 78th minute sealed their fate. Following this setback, Neftchi remains with three points after two rounds, positioning themselves seventh in the overall standings.

Source: kun.uz