AFC Cup: With Ronaldo rested, Al-Nassr defeats FK Arkadag 1-0
Saudi Pro League giant Al-Nassr FC Wednesday February 11, 2026 defeated FK Arkadag in the AFC Champions League Two knockout stage (ACL Two Round of 16)
Ashgabat (Turkmenistan): Saudi Pro League giant Al-Nassr FC Wednesday February 11, 2026 defeated FK Arkadag in the AFC Champions League Two knockout stage (ACL Two Round of 16).
Playing at Ashgabat Olympic Stadium in Turkmenistan, Al-Nassr defeated Arkadag with the only goal scored in the match by Abdullah Al-Hamdan.
All eyes before the Al-Nassr vs Arkadag was whether Cristiano Ronaldo will lead the Saudi FC or not.
And, to the utter disappointment of the CR7 fans, the Portuguese National Football Team Skipper who is also leading Al-Nassr FC, was off the ground.
But, wait… Ronaldo was not off the ground because he was protesting or unhappy. The Al-Nassr captain has already ended his protest, and after the absence in the last three matches, including the one against Arkadag, CR7 is ready to hit the ground in the Al-Nassr Vs Al-Fateh SPL clash on Feb 14, 2026.
But why Ronaldo did not play in the Al-Nassr vs Arkadag match despite ending his strike?
Al-Nassr Manager Jorge Jesus had the explained.
“Ronaldo and other star players were rested so that they are fully ready for Al-Nassr’s important match against Al-Fateh”, he said.
And, Jesus was right as not only Ronaldo, but other Al Nassr star players like Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman and Joao Felix too were absent from the Arkadag vs Al Nassr ACL Round of 16 match Wednesday.
Jesus also said Ronaldo’s absence from the AFC Champions League Two knockout stage match played in Turkmenistan is not unique, as the Al-Nassr captain has been avoiding to play outside Saudi Arabia except, of course, for the Portuguese National Football Club.
Al Nassr vs Arkadag Highlight
Al Nassr entered the fixture as clear favorites, having stormed through the group stage with a flawless record.
The Saudi Pro League giants finished atop Group D, collecting all 18 points from 6 matches, scoring a staggering 22 goals while conceding just two.
Playing against Arkadag, Al Nassr secured a narrow away victory with a single goal in the 19th minute from Abdullah Al-Hamdan.
The goal came from a well-worked move - a through ball from Ângelo Gabriel set Al-Hamdan free, and he chipped the goalkeeper beautifully into the left corner after going one-on-one.
Al-Nassr's victory against Arkadag Wednesday is its 7th consecutive win. Al-Nassr had earlier defeated Al-Ittihad, Al-Riyadh, Al-Kholood, Al-Kholood, Damac and Al-Shabab.
FK Arkadag, meanwhile, arrived at the Round of 16 after a more modest group stage campaign. The Turkmenistan side finished second in Group B, amassing seven points from one win, four draws, and a single loss.
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