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Cristiano Ronaldo remains without a major trophy at Al-Nassr after his side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final.
The match took place at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, where more than 26,000 supporters watched Al-Nassr go into the final as strong favourites to lift the trophy. The Saudi club were expected to secure the Asian competition, which is considered the continent's equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.
However, the home side were stunned when Gamba Osaka struck against the run of play. The decisive moment came in the 30th minute when Deniz Hummet finished a well-timed pass from Issam Jebali, giving the Japanese side the lead. Despite Al-Nassr pushing forward in the second half and controlling large portions of possession, they were unable to find an equaliser.
Gamba Osaka held firm under pressure to secure a historic win, becoming the first Japanese club to lift the competition. The result also denied Al-Nassr the chance to become the first Saudi team to win the tournament.
The defeat adds to Ronaldo's growing frustration since joining the club in January 2023, as he continues to search for his first major piece of silverware in Saudi Arabia. It comes shortly after another disappointment in the league, when a late own goal from goalkeeper Bento cost Al-Nassr a crucial win and allowed rivals Al-Hilal to remain in contention for the Saudi Pro League title.
That result left Al-Nassr just two points ahead with one match remaining in the domestic season, keeping the title race alive until the final round.
Despite the setback in Asia, Al-Nassr still have a chance to end the season with a domestic triumph. A victory in their final league match against Damac on Thursday would secure them the Saudi Pro League title, their first since 2019 and the 11th in the club's history.
Ronaldo's side will be watching closely as Al-Hilal, the 21-time champions, face Al-Fayha at the same time. The outcome of both matches will decide the destination of the title.
Head coach Jorge Jesus remained focused after the defeat, stressing the importance of quickly shifting attention back to the league. He stated that there is no time to dwell on disappointment and that the team must recover quickly with the championship still at stake.
