Al Nassr v Al Ain: Cristiano Ronaldo ends mini goal drought as Saudi side thump Asian champions

Portuguese scores for the first time in three matches as Nassr beat Al Ain 5-1 in AFC Champions League Elite

Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal in a comfortable 5-1 win over Al Ain. Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo ended his mini goal drought on Tuesday as Al Nassr thumped Al Ain 5-1 to keep up Saudi Arabia's impressive start in the AFC Champions League Elite.

The Portuguese star, without a goal in his past three appearances for Nassr, netted the second of the hosts' goals at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh.

Right on the half-hour, Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa failed to hold a routine long-range drive from former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, leaving Ronaldo to pounce on the rebound to tap home.

The win maintained Al Nassr's unbeaten start in Asia's premier club competition, taking them up to third on 10 points. They trail fellow Saudi clubs Al Ahli and Al Hilal, who both boast 100 per cent records after four games. Only the top eight will advance to the knockout round.

Emirati club Al Ain, who clinched their second continental crown last May, languish at the bottom of the West Asia zone with Hernan Crespo's side having only collected a single point so far.

Seeking revenge following last season's quarter-final exit at the hands of Al Ain, Al Nassr burst out of the blocks on Tuesday. Stefano Pioli's side took the lead after five minutes, when Brazilian Anderson Talisca finished low past Essa from the edge of the Al Ain area.

After Ronaldo doubled Al Nassr's advantage, the home team put the result beyond their UAE rivals seven minutes later. Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, exchanged passes with Mane and sent his shot looping over Essa courtesy of a deflection off Al Ain defender Fabio Cardoso. It was eventually deemed an own goal.

Al Ain pulled one back at the start of the second half, when Park Yong-woo's shot struck the upright and cannoned back off Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento for the game's second own goal.

However, Brazilian teenager Wesley, introduced moments before, curled home eight minutes from time before Talisca rounded off the night deep into stoppage time with his second.