Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr completed a late fight-back to book their place in the group stage draw for the Asian Champions League with Anderson Talisca scoring twice in a 4-2 win over Shabab Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Talisca gave Al Nassr an 11th-minute lead when he headed in Marcelo Brozovic's corner, but goals in the 18th and 46th minutes from Yahya Al Ghassani put the 2015 runners-up ahead and left the big-spending Saudis at risk of exiting the competition.
Al Nassr had lost their first two games in the Saudi Pro League this season and appeared to be heading towards another defeat after two goals from Yahya Al-Ghassani had seen the champions of the UAE lead 2-1 going into the final seconds of normal time.
But Sultan Al-Ghannam equalized for Al Nassr in the 88th minute before two even later goals saw the home side progress in dramatic style.
One of only four teams not to have a single point in the Saudi league after two games, Luis Castro's side lost 2-1 to Al-Ettifaq before a 2-0 defeat against Al-Taawoun. Whereas Shabab Al-Ahli started their UAE Pro League campaign with a 3-0 win over Ajman.
The winners of Tuesday's tie will book a spot in Pot 4 ahead of the AFC Champions League group stage draw.
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The result means Nassr, runners-up domestically last season, move into the group phase, which begins next month. Ronaldo, a five-time UEFA Champions League winner, was making his debut in Asian football's top club competition after signing for the Riyadh club last December.
Nassr opened the scoring on 11 minutes, when Taslica headed home a Brozovic corner. However, Yahya Al Ghassani levelled for UAE champions Shabab Al Ahli seven minutes later, the winger slotting the ball into the Nassr net after the Dubai side countered.
Ronaldo, 38, left the pitch at half-time clearly frustrated and could been seen arguing with the referee. The Portuguese star, the Nassr captain, believed he should have had two penalties in the first half.
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