Portuguese forward Joao Felix scored two goals and delivered two assists on Monday as Saudi side Al-Nassr defeated Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor 6-2 on the road in the AFC Champions League Elite. Playing at Pakhtakor Central Stadium in Tashkent without 41-year-old captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who stayed behind to rest, Al-Nassr secured their second consecutive continental victory in the Pakhtakor vs Al-Nassr Matchday 4 clash.
Felix opened his account by setting up Abdullah Al-Hamdan for the opening goal in the 15th minute before scoring twice himself in the 17th and 32nd minutes to put the visitors firmly in control. Flamarion pulled a goal back for Pakhtakor in the 36th minute to send the teams into halftime at 3-1.
Seven minutes into the second half, Felix recorded his second assist of the evening, teeing up defender Abdulelah Al-Amri in the 53rd minute to restore Al-Nassr’s three-goal cushion at 4-1. Halftime substitute Abdulrahman Ghareeb added a fifth goal in the 62nd minute before head coach Ange Postecoglou withdrew Felix for Abdullah Al-Khaibari midway through the second half.
Dostonbek Khamdamov came off the bench to score Pakhtakor’s second goal in the 75th minute, but Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel answered four minutes later to seal the 6-2 final score. Forward Sadio Mane also recorded two assists for Al-Nassr before being replaced by Sami Al-Najei in the 77th minute.
Monday’s performance extended a prolific week for Felix. Four days earlier, on Oct. 29, he provided four assists in Al-Nassr’s 5-3 Saudi Pro League victory over Al-Kholood, a match in which Ronaldo scored a second-half hat-trick to bring his career total to 985 goals.
Postecoglou left Ronaldo, Kingsley Coman, and Mohamed Simakan out of the traveling squad for the trip to Uzbekistan, officially citing fitness management and the travel burden across borders during the league phase. According to The Chosun Daily, the absences also followed broader regional security concerns surrounding Al-Nassr’s continental schedule, which Japan Football Association President Miyamoto Tsuneyasu raised at October’s AFC Congress ahead of the January 2027 Asian Cup.
Al-Nassr’s Matchday 3 home fixture against UAE club Al Wasl, originally scheduled for Oct. 26, was postponed and has not yet been given a new date. While The Sporting News attributed the postponement to travel difficulties that prevented the visiting team from arriving in Riyadh, The Chosun Daily reported that Al Wasl declined to travel to Riyadh over security concerns. Earlier in the campaign, Al-Nassr’s Oct. 12 home win over Neftchi Fergana was also delayed following a security alert linked to reports of a Houthi missile attack.
The result significantly boosts Al-Nassr in the Pakhtakor FC vs Al-Nassr standings race for a top-eight finish in the West Region, which is required to qualify for the knockout stage. Entering Monday’s match ninth in the table with three points from two games (having opened with a 4-0 loss at Al Ain on Sept. 15 before beating Neftchi 3-1), Al-Nassr now hold six points from three matches played with a game in hand. The Sporting News reported that the victory moved Al-Nassr to fourth in the West Region, while Goal.com’s updated table after Monday’s slate lists the club in fifth place. Pakhtakor remain winless after four matches with two points.
Al-Nassr, who currently sit third in the Saudi Pro League on 28 points from 11 matches, two points behind leaders Al Hilal and level on points with second-placed Al Qadsiah, return to domestic action away at Al-Hazem on Friday, Nov. 6. Their next scheduled AFC Champions League Elite fixture is at home against Qatar’s Al Sadd on Tuesday, Nov. 24.