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Park Yong-woo's Al Ain knock Cristiano Ronaldo out of AFC Champions League

Published: 12 Mar. 2024, 09:26

JIM BULLEY
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Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, center, pleads with the referee while Al Ain's Korean midfielder Park Yong-woo, left, looks on during an AFC Champions League quarterfinal game at Al -Awwal Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday. [ASIAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION]

Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr were knocked out of the 2023-24 AFC Champions League quarterfinals by Al Ain, home of Korean midfielder Park Yong-woo, on Monday.

Saudi club Al Nassr won 4-3 in the second leg of the quarterfinal, tying 4-4 on aggregate with Emirati side Al Ain. The game went to penalties, with Al Ain winning 3-1.

Both Ronaldo, who scored a penalty in the 118th minute and was the only Al Nassr player to score in the penalty shootout, and Park played all 120 minutes. Park, a defensive midfielder, was not involved in any of the goals.

Al Ain's Kaku, right, and Park Yong-woo walk out onto the pitch before an AFC Champions League quarterfinal second leg match against Al Nassr at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Al Nassr signed Ronaldo last year to a deal worth €200 million ($218 million) per year last year, making him the highest paid footballer of all time.

Al Ain will now advance to the semifinals where they will face either Al Hilal or Al-Ittihad.

On the other side of the bracket, Korean sides Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Ulsan HD are currently tied 1-1 after the first leg of their quarterfinal. The winner of that game will face either Shandong Taishan or Yokohama F. Marinos in the semifinals.

BY JIM BULLEY [[email protected]]