With Benfica in cruise control, Jorge Jesus grins as Goa face Al Nassr | OneFootball

Al Nassr continues its victorious run in the Asian Champions League, after defeating Goa FC 2-1. Facing a theoretically more accessible opponent, Jorge Jesus chose to field a more alternative lineup, leaving out some names, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and the former Benfica player João Félix.

However, it is worth noting that the Saudi team's coach kept the former Eagles striker on the bench, bringing him on during the second half, at a time when Al Nassr was already leading by two goals to one. As for the national team captain, he was left out of the match squad.

Al Nassr started the match better and took control of the game early on. Just 10 minutes into the match, Àmgelo Gabriel opened the scoring for the Saudis. However, the scoring didn’t stop there, and 17 minutes later, in the 27th minute, Haroune Camara doubled the lead.

Before halftime, much to Jorge Jesus’s displeasure, the home team managed to react and reduced the deficit through Brison Fernandes in the 41st minute. With João Félix and Sadio Mané already on the pitch, the score remained unchanged until the final whistle.

It should be remembered that, on the day before the match, Tuesday, October 21, Jorge Jesus made a point of clarifying Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence. According to the former Benfica coach, the national team captain, for physical management reasons, will be left out of Al Nassr’s commitments outside Saudi Arabia.

With this result, Al Nassr remains unbeaten in the current edition of the Champions League. After three rounds, Jorge Jesus’s Saudis lead Group D with nine points. Meanwhile, Goa FC, last night’s defeated team, sits at the bottom of the table, still without a point.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.