Al-Nassr failed to overcome Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale, losing 3-2 in the semi-finals of the 2025 AFC Champions League.
Al-Nassr was backed by a large crowd at the Jewel Stadium in Jeddah, but that wasn’t enough to break the club’s Asian jinx.
Kawasaki took the lead in the 10th minute through Tatsuba Ito, before Sadio Mane equalized in the 28th minute, and Yuto Ozeki doubled the score in the 41st minute.
While Al-Nassr was searching for an equalizer, Akihiro Ienaga surprised everyone with the Japanese club’s third goal in the 76th minute, before Ayman Yahya revived his team’s hopes with a goal in the 87th minute.
The final minutes were extremely exciting, and Cristiano Ronaldo had the opportunity to restore Al-Nassr’s lead, but he failed for the second year in a row.
The opening goal was a free kick on the edge of the penalty area that hit the wall. He then won a free kick from closer range, which he shot powerfully, but the Kawasaki goalkeeper saved it.
In the final minute, Ronaldo was one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his shot was weak with his left foot. It barely got close to the goal and was cleared by the Japanese club’s defender.
With this result, Kawasaki will face Al Ahli in the Champions League final next Saturday at the Jewel Stadium.
