Al-Nassr's defensive troubles rolled on against the UAE's Al-Ain, where another individual mistake handed their opponents the opening goal. It was a scene that summed up the Global Club's ongoing struggles at the back, whether the fault lies with the defenders or the goalkeeper.
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The goal arrived just 25 minutes in. Al-Ain's Hussein Rahimi pounced on a stray pass from left-back Saad Al-Nasser and found himself perfectly placed in front of goal.
Rahimi punished the gift ruthlessly, slotting the ball through the legs of Al-Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi and into the net. The Global Club found themselves a goal down inside the opening half hour.
The strangest part? Al-Nasser wasn't under any real pressure when he made the error. He had the time and space to play the ball out comfortably, yet he chose a misplaced pass that dropped his side into deep trouble.
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Al-Nasser's decision was only half the disaster. Al-Aqidi compounded it by letting the shot squirm between his legs, completing a chain of errors that turned one lapse into a goal, with Al-Nassr's players left visibly stunned.
Once again, the moment throws the spotlight back on the defensive frailties that keep haunting Al-Nassr. The side boast attacking names capable of deciding any match, but persistent individual mistakes at the back leave them exposed against sharp opponents. That much was clear all over again at Al-Ain.