Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr had their Asian Champions League match delayed by an hour on Monday after the Saudi-led military coalition said it had intercepted a missile fired by the Houthis towards Riyadh.
The interruption came against a backdrop of recent attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Iran-backed group, which have included strikes on oil facilities, tankers and transport hubs. Among them have been a string of lethal hits on Riyadh’s international airport.
Alawwal Park, the venue for the game against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana, was only sparsely populated in the stands. The match had been scheduled to kick off at 9.15pm local time. The stadium announcer told those present that the situation was safe, that the game would go ahead, and asked spectators to remain in their seats. The television channel broadcasting the fixture, however, announced a one-hour delay.
Shortly before that, the sound of explosions had been reported in Riyadh. Residents of the city received an alert on their phones stating: “The region is exposed to a hostile aerial threat. Please remain calm and stay at home or in a safe place, away from windows and doors, and continue to follow civil defence instructions.” The coalition subsequently announced the “interception and destruction” of a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis in a statement posted on X.
None of it appeared to unsettle Ronaldo, who scored the 981st goal of his career just before half-time as the Saudi Arabian champions secured a 3-1 victory.
The 41-year-old, who scored Al-Nassr’s second goal of the night, was provisionally suspended by Portugal on Saturday after walking out on the national team during the international break.