AFC Champions League Elite Kicks Off with Thrills and Challenges

In the newly revamped AFC Champions League Elite, Al-Nassr drew with Al-Shorta 1-1, with Cristiano Ronaldo absent due to illness. Croatia's Marcelo Brozovic was injured, adding to Al-Nassr's woes. Al-Ahli triumphed 1-0 over Persepolis, while Al-Ain began with a 1-1 draw against Al-Sadd.

In a historic opening for the revamped AFC Champions League Elite, Al-Nassr, missing an ailing Cristiano Ronaldo, secured a 1-1 draw against Iraq's Al-Shorta. The match, held on Monday, saw Sultan Al-Ghannam net an early goal before Mohammed Dawood equalized for Al-Shorta.

Ronaldo, who remains in Riyadh due to a viral infection, has yet to win a major trophy with Al-Nassr, his current club. Additionally, Al-Nassr faced another setback when Croatia's Marcelo Brozovic was injured early in the second half.

In another gripping match, Al-Ahli, one of Saudi Arabia's star-studded teams, clinched a narrow 1-0 victory over Iran's Persepolis, courtesy of Franck Kessie's first-minute goal. Despite Riyad Mahrez's missed penalty, Al-Ahli managed to hold on. Meanwhile, Al-Ain of the UAE recorded a 1-1 draw with Qatar's Al-Sadd, and Esteghlal of Iran stunned Al-Gharafa of Qatar with a 3-0 win. The tournament's 24 teams are split into east and west geographic zones, with eight games per team before progressing to the knockout stages.

(With inputs from agencies.)