Al-Nassr get it done without CR7 again! Saudi Arabian giants take 1-0 lead over Arkadag in AFC Champions League 2 round of 16 first leg with Cristiano Ronaldo absent from squad ahead of comeback

It took just 19 minutes for the Saudi visitors to take the lead. A neat combination in the middle of the field ended with Angelo sending Abdullah Al Hamdan in on goal with a neat through ball for a deft finish.

Angelo came close to making it 2-0 on the half-hour mark when he ran onto a neat pass in the box but his effort went just wide of the goal.

Al Hamdan should have doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half with a shot from close range, but it was straight at goalkeeper Rasul Caryyev, who was able to divert it out for a corner.

Abdulrahman Abdullah Ghareeb also had a huge chance to give Nassr a 2-0 lead towards the end of the first leg, but somehow he scooped an effort over the bar while one-on-one at close-range.

Nassr now take a 1-0 advantage back to Saudi Arabia, after a job well done, and one accomplished without Ronaldo's presence. He will be back in the team this weekend, though.

Al Hamdan has to take the plaudits for an ice-cold finish that gives Nassr a real chance that they can reach the last eight. A tricky trip to Turkmenistan has been taken in, and won, thanks to the 26-year-old's calmness in front of goal.

Guycmyrat Annagulyyew, the central defender for the Turkmen club, was a consistent weak spot in the backline, struggling with the pace of Nassr's flying attacks. He found himself drowning.