Al Duhail vs Al Nassr Highlights: Talisca hat-trick secures 3-2 win without Cristiano Ronaldo in AFC Champions League

It would be a good day for Brazilian football with players of both sides from the country finding their names on the scoresheet. Coutinho scored a brace but Talisca’s hat-trick secured the three points for the Saudi side, despite playing without Cristiano Ronaldo.

Khaled is fouled by Otavio, who gets up and then is grabbed by the neck by Duhail’s captain and Khaled punches him. The players get into a melee and the referee, after a discussion with the linesmen, sends Khaled off.

A visibly angry Galtier orders his side to keep its shape compact as it tries to get level with the Saudi giant. Galtier, who was managing Lionel Messi and Neymar at PSG last summer, had helped the side to consecutive wins before this game.

But a loss here would complete Al Nassr’s double over the Qatari side.

Al Nassr vs Al Duhail has been one of the tightest Champions League fixtures this season. Their previous clash ended 4-3 in favour of Al Nassr and here, too, the Saudi side maintains a slender lead at the moment.

Coutinho is fouled again and this time Al-Najei. He takes the free-kick and Muntaru gets the ball, chests it down for Olunga, whose shot is saved by Al Amri.

Coutinho steps up for the penalty, makes a small skip to shoot to his left. Nawaf gets a touch but it is no match to the force in the hit, which sees the ball rattle the net.

Coutinho gets the ball in fornt of the box and he shoots, which hits Marcelo Brozovic’s arm and the refree points to the spot. A shake of head by Brozovic and appeals by Al Nassr players to revoke the decision go in vain as the referee’s decision stays after a VAR check.

And Brozovic gets into the book for dissent.

Al Nassr’s performance tonight has been a rather measured exhibition of attacking football, with Talisca being the formidable forward in the final third. It is his hat-trick that keeps the Saudi side well and truly ahead at the moment.

Almoez Ali tries an attack with Al Duhail, making a run along the left flank and crossing to the centre. But Sultan makes a block to force a corner, which is also headed away by the yellow wall.

Al Nassr catches Al Duhail’s defence napping with a counter-attack. Ghareeb gets the bal from Talisca on his left and his cross his struck expertly into the net by Talisca’s left foot.

Al Duhail is pressing high, with men in numbers around the Al Nassr box. As goalkeeper Nawaf clears the ball, Talisca goes to ground after a challenge. Luis Castro appeals aggressively for a card against the offender but the referee resumes play after a verbal warning.

Otavio, the midfiels architect for Al Nassr is fouled yet again, this time by midfielder Ibrahim Bamba from Ivory Coast, who misses the ball to land on his boot and the referee books him immediately.

Coutinho looks to be using all his experience to ward off a string of yellow shirts in the Al Duhail half. It would especially be interesting for him to play Mane, bith of whom have played under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool once.

A diagonal pass from Brozovic for Mane goes out of play with both the players acknowledging each other’s effort.

Al Nassr is trying to drag Al Duhail out of the torpor of its own half, with square back-passes as Mane comes to the midfield to aid in passing. Meanwhle Otavio is fouled by Assim Madibo, who gets the first booking in this half.

Al Nassr gets the ball rolling in the second half. The Saudi Pro League side sits atop the group standings at the moment and will look to cement the lead after this game.

A brace by Anderson Talisca proves to be the difference with the Saudi Pro League side ahead at the break. Phillipe Countinho has scored the only goal for Al Duhail.

Olunga, who assisted Duhail’s goal tonight, tries another cross from the left, this time for Ismael Mohammad on the right. Ismael had made a run behind the defence but his heder fails to find the target.

However, if he would have scored, he might have been marginally off-side.

Al Duhail’s captain Almoez Ali makes a run along the left flank and crosses for Semedo. The No. 35 gets the ball in the box but his attempt is blocked.

No Ronaldo, no problem! Anderson Talisca steps up yet again. Sadio Mane gets the ball to Talisca, who shoots another long ranger into the net, with Zakaria completely unmoved. Absolutely delightful goals by the Brazilian!

Ghareeb gets the ball along the right flank. He keeps the ball stuck to his feet, beating an Al Duhail defender and then shoots just off-target.

Moez gets the ball for Al Duhail and tries to make a run along the left flank. He is stopped in his tracks by Otavio, who goes down to the ground but gets back on his feet eventually.

What a hit by Talisca! Anderson Talisca guets the ball outside the penalty box and decides to shoot from distance. His right-footed hit finds the right-botom corner past Zakaria.

Al Nassr is back on level terms.

Aimen, who had been verbally cautioned for a rash challenge earlier in the game, gets into the book for a similar challenge this time.

Olunga, who assisted the goal for Al Duhail, now comes close to scoring this time. He tries to head the ball off a cross from the left but his attempt is blocked.

As Al Duhail plays a high line, Mane tries to punish it with a forward run but gets caught in the offside trap, ending an attack of Al Nassr.

Al Nassr goes for another attack. This time Ghareeb makes a forward run and ultimately sets up Brozovic in front of the box. The Croat tries to get a shot on target but Semedo makes a last-minute challenge to scupper the effort.

Mane has dropped low to contribute in tyhe build up. He gets the pass from Talisca and then both of them get into the penalty box. A long ball is delivered in for Talisca, whose header is off-target.

The referee shares glances with the Al Nassr coach who is still appealing for a VAR check on the goal. Meawhile, Al Duhail continues to press very high, something Galtier did very well by Paris Saint-Germain, his former club.

Olunga wins the ball in the final third, along the left flank, and crosses it for Coutinho, who beats Telles to shoot the ball into the net. Al Nassr players are furious as they think there was a foul by Olunga before he crossed it but the referee gives the goal to the hosts.

Brozovic gets the ball back in control for Al Nassr and passes it to Talisca. The Brazilian tries to get the ball into the opposition box but his shot is blocked.

Talisca gets the ball in the final third and tries to outrun two defenders, who finally force him to err, as his shot fails to cause any trouble for Al Duhail.

Al Nassr is playing is small triangles with Alex Telles pulling strings along the left flank. He, however, will miss the presence of Ronaldo, who has been rested for the game.

Al Nassr tries to get the ball into the final third but Semedo clears the ball easily.

Al Duhail gets the ball rolling in the first half, starting from left to right. Al Nassr starts from the other side, in its home kit of yellow and blue.

The players walk out of the tunnel to make a line for the anthems. The players are ready, so are the thousands of fans at the stadium.

Salah (GK), Al Naimi, Yousif, Ismail, Coutinho, Moez, Olunga, Bamba, Madibo, Kim, Semedo

Al Nassr will look to continue its unbeaten run when it faces Al Duhail in a group-stage match of the AFC Champions League at the Al Rayyan Stadium in Qatar on Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s side has not lost a match since August 18 this year and is on a five-match winning run across all competitions.

Ronaldo, himself, has looked in frightening form, with 44 goals in this calendar year so far. In Al Nassr’s previous match, against Al Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League, he had opened the scoring as the team won 2-0.

Al Duhail, on the other hand, has had a change in its fortunes after the arrival of former Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier. Since his arrival, it has played three matches, winning twice.

The only team to beat it is Al Nassr. And Tuesday’s match will be the perfect moment for the Qatari side to settle the scores at its home stadium.

One of its biggest strengths would be Phillipe Coutinho, who has a goal and an assist in seven appearances for the club.