The game ended with a 3-2 victory, courtesy of a hat-trick by Talisca, Ronaldo’s teammate. The competition began on September 18 and will conclude this first phase of group stage matches on May 18. Currently, the ten groups are led by:

Group A: Al Ain (12 points) Group B: Al Sharjah (8 points) Group C: Al-Ittihad FC (9 points) Group D: Al-Hilal (9 points) Group E: Al Nassr Riyadh (12 points) Group F: Bangkok Utd (10 points) Group G: Yokohama M (9 points) Group H: Kofu (7 points) Group I: Kawasaki (12 points) Group J: Pohang (12 points)

Another team that strengthened this summer, attracting Karim Benzema, one of the recent European Ballon d’Or winners, Al Ittihad, is yet to find its form in Group C. Although leading the group, they suffered a 2-0 loss to Al-Quwa Al Jaw. This defeat triggered the dismissal of their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo. The firing leaves the team’s future somewhat uncertain. Even though they are geared to reach the AFC League final, the investment made is not yet yielding the intended effects.

In the different groups, Kawasaki and Pohang, as well as Al Ain, lead with twelve points and full victories, in addition to Al Nassr Riyadh, and are almost assured of progressing to the next round of the competition. Conversely, Pathum United, Mumbai, OKMK, and Kaya continue to be without points in their respective groups.