JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia: Cristiano Ronaldo led Saudi Arabian team Al-Nassr to a 4-1 win over Yokohama F. Marinos of Japan in the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League Elite on Saturday.
The 40-year-old scored his eighth goal of the tournament during a dominant first half performance in Jeddah, which is hosting all of the games in the tournament from the quarterfinal stage to the final on May 3.
In Wednesday’s semifinal, Al-Nassr will take on Al-Sadd of Qatar or Kawasaki Frontale of Japan, who meet on Sunday.
Jhon Duran, signed for over $100 million from Aston Villa in January, opened the scoring from close range.
Four minutes later, Sadio Mane doubled Al-Nassr’s lead, the former Liverpool forward firing home a fierce low shot from the left of the area.
There was still time before the break for Ronaldo to give Al-Nassr, looking for a first ever continental title, one foot in the last four. Goalkeeper Park Il-kyu spilled a shot from Marcelo Brozovic and Ronaldo, from close range, was on hand to score his 33rd goal of the season in all competitions.
Duran scored his second and Al-Nassr’s fourth four minutes after the break, and Anderson Lopes grabbed a consolation for the five-time Japanese champion.
Al-Nassr’s Saudi Pro League rival Al-Ahli defeated Buriram United of Thailand 3-0.
The damage was done early. After just four minutes, former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez scored with a low shot from the right side of the area after Buriram failed to clear. Two minutes later, Brazilian winger Galeno made it 2-0 and Roberto Firmino finished off.
Al-Ahli, a two-time finalist, will take on Al-Hilal, the four-time champion, in an all-Saudi semifinal on Tuesday.
On Friday, Al-Hilal thrashed Gwangju 7-0 with all seven coming from different scorers.
After Al-Hilal’s relatively poor run of form domestically, coach Jorge Jesus was delighted with the result and performance. “We’ve been under pressure in the Saudi Pro League, and the players have shown great focus despite that,” Jesus said.
“Without commitment, we couldn’t have achieved this. I believe we’re on the right path, creating a good atmosphere for everyone involved — players and staff.”

LONDON: In a new chapter of a British boxing family feud, Chris Eubank Jr. dealt fellow-Briton Conor Benn a first career defeat during their middleweight bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday.

All three judges scored the fight 116-112 after a pulsating 12-round slugfest, with both fighters coming out hard from the start and going toe-to-toe in front of 65,000 spectators.

Eubank has improved his win-loss record to 35-3, while Benn's declined to 24-1, in his first professional loss in a brawl under the lights more than 30 years after their fathers shared the ring in two memorable slugfests.

In November 1990, Chris Eubank beat Nigel Benn by a ninth-round stoppage in Birmingham to take the WBO middleweight title. The rematch was three years later in front of 45,000 fans at Old Trafford. It ended in a split-decision draw.

The fight, between the sons of former world champions and arch-rivals Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn who met twice in the 1990s, was called off in 2022 when Benn tested positive for trace amounts of fertility drug clomifene.

Both dads were on hand Saturday, with 58-year-old Chris Eubank accompanying his son to the ring despite calling his son’s antics at an earlier press conference “a disgrace.” The young Eubank also revealed this week that they were not on speaking terms.

The sons’ bout was originally set for 2022 but was scrapped after Benn’s voluntary urine test showed trace amounts of the fertility drug Clomiphene, a banned substance that boosts testosterone levels while burning fat.

Benn argued successfully that his consumption of eggs elevated his testosterone levels.

At their first media face-to-face. Eubank pulled out an egg and smacked it on Benn’s face, prompting the British Boxing Board of Control to fine him 100,000 pounds sterling ($130,000).

(With Agencies)