Gamba Osaka beat Al Nassr 1-0 in the final of the AFC Champions League Two on Saturday, with Deniz Hümmet scoring the only goal in the 29th minute in Riyadh. Osaka needed just one shot on target to win the final, while Al Nassr controlled the ball and produced more efforts at goal but still could not force an equalizer.
Hümmet said he was happy to score and help the team, and added that he had been nervous watching the second half before saying the win mattered most and it was time to celebrate. His finish ended a night that had started with Al Nassr expected to press its edge in possession and ended with Gamba Osaka carrying the trophy home.
The defeat landed hard for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has now lost four finals since joining Al Nassr in December 2022. His only final success with the club came in the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023, and he still has not won a major trophy with the Saudi side. The loss also came only five days after Al Nassr were seconds away from winning the Saudi Pro League for the first time since 2019, before conceding in stoppage time and letting the title race slip away.
Al Nassr were still two points ahead of Al Hilal heading into their final league match against Damac on Thursday, but the mood around the club has changed quickly. João Félix struck the post with a low shot from outside the area with 13 minutes remaining against Gamba Osaka, one of the closest moments in a match Al Nassr largely dictated without reward. The ACL setback now sits beside the league collapse, leaving Ronaldo and Al Nassr facing another week defined by missed chances rather than silverware.
