JEDDAH : Al-Nassr ensured all three Saudi Pro League sides reached the Asian Champions League Elite semi-finals as Stefano Pioli’s side handed Yokohama F Marinos a 4-1 defeat on Saturday.
First-half goals from Jhon Duran, Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo sent Al-Nassr on the way to victory in the quarter-final, with Duran adding a fourth soon after the interval before Kota Watanabe scored a consolation for last year’s runners-up.
The win sees Al-Nassr join compatriots Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal in the last four with one quarter-final, featuring Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale and Al-Sadd of Qatar, to be played on Sunday.
“I think tonight we played well from the start of the game,” said Mane. “We created many chances and we scored four goals, I think we deserved to win and I’m really happy.
“We have our target. We’re going to take it game-by-game and we now have another important game in the next round.”
Marinos’ Australian defender Thomas Deng sliced Mane’s cross from the left onto his own post in the 27th minute and Duran pounced on the rebound to give the Saudi side the lead.
Mane added the second four minutes later when he latched onto Otavio’s through ball before beating goalkeeper Park Il-gyu at his near post.
The third came in the 38th minute as Al-Nassr put the result beyond doubt before the halftime whistle.
Marcelo Brozovic’s shot from the edge of the penalty box was partially blocked but, after the ball looped into the area, Park’s failure to punch clear resulted in Ronaldo volleying home.
Duran capitalised on another defensive error to score his second four minutes after the restart but four minutes later Marinos pulled one back when Watanabe completed an intricate move with an assured finish from Anderson Lopes’ lay-off.
Marinos threatened to claw their way back into the game with Lopes firing wildly off target from close range and Kenta Inoue seeing his attempt ruled out for offside in the build-up.
The Japanese side’s dwindling hopes were extinguished with 17 minutes remaining when Watanabe picked up a second booking for a desperate challenge on Aiman Yahya as the Saudi midfielder galloped through the centre circle.
Park denied Mane a fifth for Al-Nassr in the dying minutes as the Riyadh-based side progressed to the last four.
Jeddah is hosting the latter stages of the Asian Champions League Elite, with the quarter-finals, semis and final all being played in the city.
Al-Hilal will face Al-Ahli on Tuesday while Al-Nassr will take on either Kawasaki Frontale or Al-Sadd on Wednesday. The final will be played on May 3.
