Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Al Nassr as Stefano Pioli wins first AFC Champions League game

Saudi club claim a 2-1 victory over Qatar's Al Rayyan to continue revival under Italian manager

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring Al Nassr's second goal with Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Mohamed Simakan. Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first AFC Champions League goal of the season in the 2-1 victory over Qatar's Al Rayyan on Monday night to help new Al Nassr manager Stefano Pioli make a winning start to the competition.

Sadio Mane gave Nassr the lead at Al Awwal Park in first-half stoppage time, the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward meeting Sultan Al Ghannam's superb deep cross to head home from close range.

Ronaldo, making his first appearance in the rebranded AFC Champions League having missed last week's 1-1 opening draw against Iraqi club Al Shorta with illness, had a goal disallowed for a narrow offside at the beginning of the second half.

Undeterred, the five-time Uefa Champions League winner doubled Nassr's advantage on 76 minutes when he received Abdulrahman Ghareeb's pass and curled a beautiful left-footed strike into the net.

The hosts were given a scare late on, though, Brazilian Roger Guedes scoring off Aschraf Bencharki's low centre at the back post. Still, Al Nassr held on to make it four points from two matches.

The victory continues Nassr's fine start under former AC Milan manager Pioli, who replaced Luis Castro in the dugout following the opening Champions League draw against Al Shorta. The Riyadh giants have now won all four matches across all competitions under the Italian.

Ronaldo praised his team's performance with a post on Instagram, writing: "Hard work pays off. Let’s keep going!"

Nassr are now third in the new-look AFC Champions League Elite league format, although four of the 12 clubs competing in the West region group have yet to play their second matches, including defending champions Al Ain and Saudi Pro League winners Al Hilal.

Nassr return to Pro League duties on Saturday with a home match against Al Orobah. In the Champions League, their next assignment is a trip to Tehran to face Iranian side Esteghlal on October 22.

Meanwhile, 2011 Asian champions Al Sadd of Qatar secured a 2-0 win against Esteghlal at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. An own goal from visiting goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini and an Akram Afif penalty settled the tie.

Also on Monday, Iran's Persepolis were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Pakhtakor despite taking a first-minute lead at Shahr-E Qods Stadium in Qods.

The remaining West group ties will take place on Tuesday as Hilal aim to make it two wins from two when they host Al Shorta, while Al Ain, who drew their opening game, travel to Qatar to face Al Gharafa.

The Asian Champions League Elite features 24 teams – 12 from West Asia and 12 from East Asia. With each club playing four matches at home and four away, the top eight in each side of the draw progress to the knockout stages early next year. Teams from the West and East can first meet each other at the quarter-finals.

The eventual winners receive $10 million in prize money, an increase from $4 million last season.