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With a 4-2 victory over United Arab Emirates team Shabab Al Ahli on Tuesday in Riyadh, Al Nassr of the Saudi Pro League finished a late comeback to secure their spot in the Asian Champions League group stage draw.
Despite finishing second in the Saudi Pro League last season, Al-Nassr didn’t receive one of the divisions three spots to go direct into the group stage of the continental competition – missing out to Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal and Al-Fayha.
They faced Shabab Al-Ahli, who won the league title in the UAE and had overcome Al-Wehdat from Jordan in the previous qualifying round.
Talisca gave Al Nassr an 11th-minute lead when he headed in Marcelo Brozovic’s corner, but goals in the 18th and 46th minutes from Yahya Al Ghassani put the 2015 runners-up ahead and left the big-spending Saudis at risk of exiting the competition.
However, Sultan Al Ghannam’s 88th-minute header levelled the scores and Talisca nodded in his second in the fifth minute of injury time to put Al Nassr back in front.
Set up by Cristiano Ronaldo, Brozovic then sealed the win two minutes later with a low strike from the edge of the penalty area as Al Nassr confirmed their place in Thursday’s draw.
Al-Nassr announced on Tuesday the addition to their squad of Portugal midfielder Otavio, who joined from Porto.
