Al-Nassr Falls Short Against Kawasaki Frontale In AFC Champions League Semi-Final Match

Add as a preferred source on Google

Kawasaki Frontale secured a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite final after defeating Al-Nassr 3-2. This marks Kawasaki's first semi-final appearance and encounter with Al-Nassr. Tatsuya Ito opened the scoring for Kawasaki at Al Inma Bank Stadium within 10 minutes. Sadio Mane equalised for Al-Nassr 18 minutes later with a precise right-footed shot.

Yuto Ozeki restored Kawasaki's lead just before half-time, and Akihiro Ienaga extended it in the 76th minute. Aiman Yahya, coming off the bench, scored late for Al-Nassr, but it wasn't enough to change the outcome. Cristiano Ronaldo had four attempts during stoppage time but couldn't find an equaliser. Kawasaki will now face Al-Ahli in the final on Saturday.

Al-Nassr have reached three AFC Champions League semi-finals but have yet to advance to a final. Despite their efforts, they managed 21 shots with six on target, generating 2.07 expected goals. Ronaldo attempted eight shots, hitting the target twice, ending his campaign with eight goals—the highest for an Al-Nassr player in one edition.

Kawasaki Frontale has become the fifth Japanese team to reach the AFC Champions League final, joining Urawa Red Diamonds, Gamba Osaka, Kashima Antlers, and Yokohama Marinos. This achievement ensures that a Japanese team has reached the final in each of the last three editions of the competition.

Ronaldo's performance this season was notable as he surpassed Abderrazak Hamdallah’s seven-goal record from 2020 for Al-Nassr. The last time Ronaldo scored more in a continental club competition was during the 2017-2018 UEFA Champions League when he netted 15 goals.

The upcoming final against Al-Ahli presents another challenge for Kawasaki as they aim to continue their successful run in this prestigious tournament.