Riyadh Missile Alert Delays Ronaldo’s Match by an Hour as Al-Nassr Win 3-1

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 981st goal of his career as Al-Nassr defeated Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday, October 12. The match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was delayed by an hour following a security alert after a Saudi-led military coalition reported intercepting a ballistic missile fired towards the capital by Houthi forces.

The incident prompted safety alerts for residents, while spectators at Al-Awwal Park were asked to remain in their seats. The match eventually went ahead, and Al-Nassr secured the victory despite the disruption. Reuters and the Associated Press reported the delay and the result.

Riyadh Missile Alert Delays Al-Nassr Match

The game was originally scheduled to kick off at 9:15 pm local time. However, the start was postponed after Saudi Civil Defense issued a warning about an aerial threat.

According to reports by AFP, explosions were heard in Riyadh shortly before the match, while residents received alerts on their mobile phones advising them to remain calm and move to a safe place away from windows and doors.

The stadium announcer later informed spectators that the situation was safe and the match would proceed, asking them to stay in their seats. The broadcaster also announced a one-hour delay to kick-off.

The Saudi-led coalition subsequently said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired towards Riyadh by the Houthis. Saudi authorities later indicated that the immediate danger had passed.

Ronaldo Scores His 981st Career Goal

Despite the unusual circumstances, Al-Nassr delivered a strong performance against Neftchi Fergana.

Brazilian forward Angelo Gabriel opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. Ronaldo then doubled Al-Nassr’s lead shortly before half-time, taking his reported career goal tally to 981.

Neftchi reduced the deficit early in the second half through Alisher Odilov. Al-Nassr eventually secured a 3-1 victory, with an own goal helping the Saudi side restore its two-goal advantage.

The result gave Al-Nassr an important win in the AFC Champions League Elite league phase.

Portugal Provisionally Suspends Ronaldo

Separately, Ronaldo is facing disciplinary proceedings involving the Portuguese national team. The Portuguese Football Federation provisionally suspended the 41-year-old forward after he left the national team camp during the international break.

Reports linked his departure to a dispute over his expected playing time and discussions with the coaching staff. Ronaldo has publicly addressed the episode and acknowledged that disciplinary action could follow.

However, a final three-match suspension has not been confirmed by the reliable reports reviewed for this article. The federation’s disciplinary process should therefore be described as ongoing rather than as a completed ban.

The case has drawn attention because Ronaldo remains a key figure for Portugal as he continues pursuing the milestone of 1,000 career goals.

This article has been updated to distinguish confirmed match details from the ongoing disciplinary case involving Portugal.