Brazilian striker Anderson Talisca shone for Al Nassr in Cristiano Ronaldo‘s absence within the Asian Champions League on Tuesday, placing a hat-trick of their 3-2 victory in opposition to Al Duhail in Qatar. The Saudi Pro League facet, who selected to relaxation in-form captain Ronaldo, rebounded from Philippe Coutinho‘s early opener on the Khalifa International Stadium to maintain intact their 100 per cent document on this yr’s competitors. Nassr now have 12 factors from 4 matches to sit down prime of Group E.

Ronaldo, who scored twice two weeks in the past in Riyadh within the Saudi Arabian membership’s 4-3 residence win in opposition to the identical opponents, was rested for the corresponding fixture by Nassr supervisor Luis Castro.

On Tuesday, Duhail went forward on eight minutes via Coutinho, when the previous Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder slid in to complete Michael Olunga’s low cross for his first Asian Champions League objective. The Nassr bench had been in uproar, although, believing Olunga had fouled defender Mohammed Al Fatil within the build-up.

However, the guests fully turned across the tie in a 10-minute spell late within the first half. First, Talisca exchanged passes with Abdulrahman Ghareeb on the fringe of the Duhail space and curled an outstanding right-footed shot low into the underside nook. Then, he collected a brief go from Sadio Mane and, from virtually the precise place as his first, skidded a left-footed drive past rooted goalkeeper Salah Zakaria.

Taslica accomplished his hat-trick on 65 minutes, sweeping residence a advantageous transfer after one other one-two with Ghareeb. The treble lifted Talisca to 6 objectives in his previous three Champions League matches.

Duhail did pull a objective again via Coutinho’s Eightieth-minute penalty following Marcelo Brozovic’s handball, however the residence facet later had substitute Khaled Mohammed despatched off in stoppage time.

Also in Group E, two-time runners-up Persepolis strengthened their case for a spot within the final 16 with a 1-1 draw at Istiklol within the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe. The Iranians had taken an early lead, however had been pegged again by the hosts 16 minutes from time.

Meanwhile, UAE facet Al Ain turned the primary western Asian membership to qualify for this yr’s knockout phases, courtesy of a 3-2 win at Al Fayha in Riyadh. Togo’s Kojo Labja struck twice for the 2003 champions to take his tally to 5 objectives on this yr’s competitors as Al Ain prime Group A with 12 factors from a potential 12.

In the group’s different match, Uzbeks Pakhtakor keep second following a 1-1 draw at Turkmenistan’s Ahal FK.

In the japanese facet of the competitors, Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale moved to the brink of qualification to the final 16 with a 4-2 residence win over Thailand’s BG Pathum United. The victory ensured Kawasaki maintained their 100 per cent document on the prime of Group I, with Johor Darul Ta’zim and South Korean champions Ulsan Hyundai on six factors apiece following the previous’s 2-1 victory at residence in Malaysia. Ulsan are two-time Asian champions, in 2012 and 2020.

In Group G, Japanese facet Yokohama F Marinos are joint-top after their hard-fought 2-1 win at Philippines’ Kaya FC-Iloilo in Manila. Chinese Super League facet Shandong Taishan are stage with Yokohama on 9 factors, because of a 3-1 residence victory in opposition to South Korea’s Incheon United in Jinan. Incheon lie third, three factors again with two rounds remaining.

The group stage, which this yr returned to a home-and-away format for the primary time since early 2020, runs till mid-December, with the ten pool winners and the six finest second-placed groups advancing to the knockout rounds beginning in February.

The remaining takes place, throughout two legs, in May.

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