Cristiano Ronaldo Told His Goal in Champions League vs Al Fayha Was Pure ‘Luck’

• Cristiano Ronaldo has been told his first goal of 2024 was mainly out of 'luck'
• The 39-year-old's solitary goal helped Al-Nassr pip Al Fayha in the AFC CL
• His next game will be a Saudi Pro League clash with Al Fateh on Saturday, Feb 17

Vuk Rasovic, the head coach of Al Fayha, downplays his team's loss to Al-Nassr in the first leg of their AFC Champions League round of 16 clash, suggesting that Cristiano Ronaldo's late goal on Wednesday, February 14, was not necessarily earned.

Despite facing pressure throughout the match and conceding possession to Luis Castro's side, Rašović attributes Al-Nassr's victory to sheer luck.

He assesses the result as disappointing, implying that Ronaldo's goal was fortuitous.

"Luck helped Al Nassr score the goal!" he remarked, as reported by The Nassr Zone.

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Football

Stats show Ronaldo's goal was not 'luck'

However, statistical analysis contradicts Rasovic's viewpoint.

Data from Flashscore indicates that Al Fayha only held 23% of the ball possession and managed just two attempts at goal, failing to hit the target.

Despite making two saves, their attacking efforts failed to trouble Raghed Al Najjar, Al-Nassr's goalkeeper.

Particularly concerning is Al Fayha's low expected goal rate of 0.03.

In contrast, Luis Castro's team dominated possession with an impressive 77%, took 14 shots on goal, with three on target, and completed a remarkable 658 passes during the match with an expected goal (xG) of 1.35.

Furthermore, according to Sofascore, Ronaldo registered three shots on target and missed two significant opportunities before his decisive goal.

These statistics highlight Al-Nassr's superiority in both possession and attacking intent, suggesting that Ronaldo's goal was not merely a stroke of luck but born out of hard work.

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Football

CR7 combines 'Siuu' and 'Sleep' celebrations

In the 81st minute, Cristiano Ronaldo secured the winning goal by connecting with Marcelo Brozović before striking the ball into the top of the net.

Initially set to perform his signature 'Siuu' celebration, Ronaldo instead opted for the 'Sleep' celebration, heading towards the corner flag, as reported by Sports Brief.

Although some fans believed it was a new addition to his repertoire, the 39-year-old had actually used it previously. He employed the celebration while representing the national team, notably after scoring a brace in Portugal's 6-0 victory over Luxembourg.