Ronaldo Scores and Waves Saudi Scarf in Al-Nassr Win After Security Delay

Cristiano Ronaldo scored Al-Nassr's second goal in their AFC Champions League home victory, then waved a blue Saudi Arabia scarf as the match was delayed by a security threat in Riyadh.

The reigning Saudi Pro League champions beat Uzbekistan's Neftchi 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite at Al-Awwal Park on Monday, after the match kicked off later than scheduled due to the risk of a missile attack from Houthi forces in Yemen.

Kick-off was pushed back after Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence agency issued a safety warning 15 minutes before the scheduled start in Riyadh, a city that has been targeted by missiles from the Houthis in recent days. Spectators remained in their seats while the players waited in the dressing room.

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed ballistic missiles fired by Houthi rebels towards Riyadh twice on Monday. At least three explosions could be heard overnight in the city. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence agency, which warned residents via text messages to their phones, later announced the danger had passed.

The Saudi-led coalition, which is fighting in Yemen, said its forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis towards Riyadh, as the city has been hit by attacks that killed at least 14 people in recent days. Riyadh residents reported multiple loud explosions overnight on Monday, shortly after phone messages warned of an airborne threat.

The Houthis, who control Yemen's most populous areas including the capital Sanaa, said the target in Riyadh was King Khalid International Airport. The new attacks came as King Khalid Airport in Riyadh remained closed after a Houthi attack on Saturday that killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300. Another attack on Sunday killed one person and wounded 11.

Ange Postecoglou's side were unaffected by the disruption and took the lead through Angelo's deflected strike in the 33rd minute, before Ronaldo doubled the advantage nine minutes later.

The 41-year-old scored after Sadio Mane lofted a cross from the left, Aiman Yahya chested the ball into Ronaldo's path, and the Portuguese forward fired into the bottom corner with a turning finish.

Alisher Odilov pulled a goal back for Neftchi six minutes after the break, but Ikromjon Alibaev's red card for a foul on Mohamed Simakan in the 65th minute and Anvarjon Gofurov's own goal 13 minutes later sealed the win for Al-Nassr.

After the victory, Ronaldo and his team-mates applauded the sparse crowd behind the Al-Nassr goal. As he walked around the goal area, a fan handed Ronaldo a blue Saudi Arabia scarf. He waved it with one hand before draping it around his neck and leaving the pitch wearing it.

In other matches, reigning champions Al-Ahli scored twice in the second half to claim their first win of the new campaign, as Marino Pusic's side beat the UAE's Al-Wasl 3-1. Roger Ibanez put Al-Ahli ahead with a header in the 20th minute, but Pedro Malheiro equalised in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. Goals from Trincao and Feras Al-Brikan in the 58th and 91st minutes gave Al-Ahli four points from their first two matches.

"We also created chances in the first half, but we only scored in the second, and I think that was the difference," Trincao said. "Physically, we were a bit better, and that was the key to changing the game."

Houssine Rahimi scored twice as Al-Ain beat Air Force Club 4-1 in Basra, while Hossein Goudarzi's 60th-minute goal gave Iran's Esteghlal a 2-1 win over Al-Gharafa.

A last-minute penalty from Dostonbek Khamdamov rescued Pakhtakor from defeat with a 1-1 draw against Brendan Rodgers' Al-Qadsiah in Tashkent, while Iran's Tractor were held to a 0-0 draw by Qatar's Al-Shamal. The top eight teams in the 16-team group stage in both East and West Asia advance to the knockout rounds.