Al-Nassr advanced to the Arab Club Champions Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 victory over Raja Casablanca at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium, a match defined by an explosive first-half attacking display that saw all four goals scored before the interval. The Lemeister model had given Al-Nassr a 43-per-cent chance of progressing, and while the visitors were deserved winners, the scoreline flattered their efficiency in front of goal rather than a dominant all-round performance.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 19th minute, capitalising on a Talisca assist to give Al-Nassr the lead. Ten minutes later, Sultan Al Ghannam doubled the advantage with a finish set up by Abdullah Al Khaibari. The pattern of swift, clinical finishing continued when S. Fofana converted an Alex Telles assist in the 38th minute, putting Al-Nassr 3-0 up inside 38 minutes. Raja Casablanca responded almost immediately when Abdullah Madu turned the ball into his own net in the 41st minute, a moment that briefly gave the home side a route back into the tie before half-time.
The statistical picture revealed a contest Al-Nassr controlled for long periods without overwhelming their opponents. The visitors enjoyed 58-per-cent possession and completed 563 passes to Raja's 389, with both sides recording a pass accuracy of 88 per cent. Despite the three-goal cushion, the shot counts were remarkably balanced: Raja managed 10 attempts to Al-Nassr's nine, and both teams had seven shots from inside the box. Al-Nassr's edge came in execution, landing five shots on target to Raja's four, and goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi made four saves to his counterpart's two, a significant margin given the volume of attempts faced.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the highest-rated player on the pitch with a 7.9 match rating, a reflection of his goal and his all-round contribution in Al-Nassr's attacking phase. Sultan Al-Ghannam followed closely with a 7.5 rating, having scored and been a persistent threat from midfield. Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Ali Al-Oujami, and Seko Fofana each earned 7.3 ratings; Fofana's goal was the clearest return on his performance, while Al-Aqidi's saves were vital in protecting the lead after the own goal. For Raja Casablanca, Mohamed Zrida was the standout performer, earning a 7.2 rating through his work in midfield, but the home side found themselves chasing the game from the early stages.
The first-half yellow card for Roger Aholou and a second-half caution for Zakaria El Wardi reflected Raja's difficulty in containing Al-Nassr's transitions. Abdullah Alkhaibari and Alex Telles were both booked in the second half for Al-Nassr, but by then the game was effectively settled. Raja's five offsides, compared to Al-Nassr's two, underlined their eagerness to push forward but also their lack of timing against a defence that held its line effectively.
The result sends Al-Nassr into the semi-finals of the tournament, continuing their pursuit of silverware under the competition's format. For Raja Casablanca, elimination comes despite a spirited response after going three goals down, but the early defensive lapses proved too costly to overcome. The Lemeister model's pre-match projection of a narrow Al-Nassr victory proved accurate in outcome, if not in the margin.
