Watch: Moment Al Ain footballer scored winning goal against Ronaldo's Al Nassr

Emirati Club Al Ain beat Al Nassr on Monday, winning the first leg of the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League.

Soufiane Rahimi scored the match's only goal right before half-time in the 44th minute. The stunning match took place in Haza bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Despite registering more shots on target and enjoying a greater share of possession than its opponent, Al Nassr could not break down the Al Ain side, which displayed a spirited performance in front of its home crowd.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

Getting an additional 11 minutes at the end of the second-half, Al Nassr kept pushing for the equaliser. However, its night turned from bad to worse after centre-back Aymeric Laporte saw a red card for shoving Al Ain right-back Bandar Al-Ahbabi to the ground.

Close to the final whistle, Alejandro Romero, nicknamed as Kaku, passed the ball to Rahimi, who dribbled the goalkeeper, putting the ball in the goal.

The iconic moment incited cheers all over the stadium, as fans of different nationalities stood up in their seats, applauding and cheering. The players embraced each other after the win.

Watch the moment Al Ain footballer Rahimi scored the winning goal against Ronaldo's Al Nassr here:

The second leg will be played on March 12.

Ahead of the match, passionate Al Ain fans arrived at the stadium at 3pm, five hours before the quarterfinal first leg match. Other than Emiratis, some Omani football lovers attended the match too.

Monday's match was a return from suspension for renowned footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, as he tried to save Al Nassr’s season against the winning Al Ain club.

ALSO READ:

• Ronaldo in Al Ain: Football has no boundaries, message from fans

• 'Not here for Ronaldo': Fans drive to UAE from Oman, arrive 5 hours before match to support Al Ain

• Sports
• Newsletters
• Abu Dhabi