Al Ain delivered a dominant performance to defeat Al Nassr 4-0 in their opening AFC Champions League Elite match of the season.
El Houssine Rahimi scored twice before his brother, Soufiane Rahimi, added Al Ain’s third goal. Giorgos Giakoumakis completed the emphatic victory with a late fourth as Al Nassr endured a nightmare start to their continental campaign.
The heavy defeat extended Al Nassr’s difficult run of form, leaving them with only one victory from their last four matches.
El Houssine Rahimi Gives Al Ain the Lead
Al Ain made the breakthrough in the 25th minute through El Houssine Rahimi.
The forward’s opening goal gave the home side a deserved advantage and placed Al Nassr under immediate pressure. Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates were unable to produce an effective response before halftime, allowing Al Ain to take control of the contest.
Al Nassr still had an opportunity to recover after the interval, but Rahimi struck again to make their task significantly more difficult.
Rahimi Completes His Brace
El Houssine Rahimi scored his second goal in the 63rd minute, doubling Al Ain’s advantage and completing an impressive personal brace.
The goal rewarded Al Ain for another assured spell and left Al Nassr facing a two-goal deficit with less than half an hour remaining.
Rather than easing their pressure, Al Ain continued to push forward in search of more goals.
Soufiane Rahimi Adds Al Ain’s Third
Soufiane Rahimi joined his brother on the scoresheet in the 72nd minute, extending Al Ain’s lead to 3-0.
The goal meant that the Rahimi brothers had combined for three of Al Ain’s four strikes—a memorable family contribution on the Champions League stage. El Houssine supplied two goals, while Soufiane completed the trio with another decisive finish.
By that point, Al Nassr’s hopes of launching a comeback had effectively disappeared.
Giakoumakis Completes the Rout
Giakoumakis added Al Ain’s fourth goal in the 85th minute, putting the finishing touch on a commanding performance.
His late strike completed the 4-0 scoreline and confirmed a memorable opening victory for Al Ain. The hosts combined clinical finishing with a clean sheet, making an early statement in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Al Nassr, meanwhile, were left to reflect on a performance in which they failed to score and conceded four times.
Nightmare Champions League Start for Al Nassr
The result represented the worst possible beginning to Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite campaign.
Despite having Ronaldo among their attacking options, Al Nassr could not find a way past the Al Ain defence. Their problems at the other end were even more damaging, with the Rahimi brothers repeatedly exposing the visitors before Giakoumakis completed the rout.
The defeat also continued a concerning run of results. Al Nassr have now won only one of their last four matches, increasing the pressure on the team to respond quickly.
Al Ain Make an Early Statement
Al Ain could hardly have produced a more convincing opening performance.
El Houssine Rahimi’s brace established the platform, Soufiane Rahimi extended the advantage and Giakoumakis sealed the result. Four goals, three points and a clean sheet made it an ideal start to the Champions League season.
For Al Nassr, the 4-0 defeat provides an early test of their ability to recover. For Al Ain, it was a night that demonstrated their attacking quality and announced their continental ambitions.
Al Ain vs Al Nassr Match Summary
Final score: Al Ain 4-0 Al Nassr
Goalscorers:
- El Houssine Rahimi — 25′
- El Houssine Rahimi — 63′
- Soufiane Rahimi — 72′
- Giorgos Giakoumakis — 85′
Key statistics:
- El Houssine Rahimi: Two goals
- Rahimi brothers: Three combined goals
- Al Ain: Four goals and a clean sheet
- Al Nassr: One win from their last four matches
