Riyadh: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr secured a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana in the Asian Champions League after their match was delayed by an hour on Monday following reports of a missile threat targeting the Saudi capital.
The match at Alawwal Park was originally scheduled to begin at 9:15 pm local time. However, the kick-off was postponed after a Saudi-led military coalition announced that it had intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi group towards Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia has faced a series of attacks attributed to the Iran-backed Houthis, with previous strikes targeting oil facilities, tankers and transport infrastructure. Riyadh’s international airport has also been among the locations affected by deadly attacks.
There were relatively few spectators in attendance at Alawwal Park when concerns over the security situation emerged. The stadium announcer initially informed fans that the situation was safe, confirmed that the match would go ahead and urged those present to remain in their seats.
However, the broadcaster covering the fixture subsequently announced a one-hour delay.
Reports of explosions in Riyadh emerged shortly before residents received emergency alerts on their mobile phones warning of a potential aerial threat. Authorities advised people to remain calm, stay indoors or move to a safe location, keep away from windows and doors, and follow civil defence instructions.
The Saudi-led coalition later confirmed on social media platform X that it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired towards the capital by the Houthis.
Despite the tense circumstances surrounding the fixture, Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr teammates continued with the match once it was cleared to proceed.
The Portuguese superstar scored his 981st career goal just before half-time as Al-Nassr went on to register a 3-1 win over Neftchi Fergana.
The 41-year-old forward has also been in the headlines for reasons away from club football. Portugal provisionally suspended Ronaldo on Saturday following his reported walkout from the national team during the international break.
Nevertheless, the missile alert and subsequent delay did not prevent the five-time Ballon d’Or winner from adding another goal to his remarkable career tally as Al-Nassr claimed an important victory in continental competition.
