Khaybri Breaks Two-Year Silence as Felix Opens His Asian Account in a 2-0 Nasser Win

Matchday Drama and Player Highlights

Al-Nassr delivered a special night on the road in the AFC Champions League 2, securing a 2-0 win at Al-Zawraa in Group 4 on Wednesday, keeping their continental campaign off to a strong start. The result underlined an elite performance from a squad that blends senior stars with rising contributors as they navigate their second ACL 2 group stage assignment.

Khaybri Breaks a Two-Year Scorn

The opening breakthrough came in the second half when Abdullah Khaybri, used as a substitute, struck in the 52nd minute after a smart rebound on the edge of the box. His finish put the visitors ahead and earned him the AFC’s Man of the Match award for his timely contribution and industry in midfield play.

This was Khaybri’s first goal in two years, dating back to September 2, 2023, when he scored against Al-Hazm in the Saudi League, a reminder of how a single moment can reignite a player’s form.

Khaybri’s Career Numbers

The goal was only the third in Khaybri’s career for Al-Nassr, having previously found the net in March 2023 against Abha during the King’s Cup quarterfinals. Across 210 appearances for the club in all competitions, he has tallied three goals and eight assists, illustrating his role as a dependable squad member rather than a pure scorer.

Before joining Al-Nassr in 2019, Khaybri spent two seasons with Al-Shabab, playing 32 matches without scoring or providing assists. On the international stage, he has featured for Saudi Arabia 27 times, contributing one goal and one assist, a reminder of his broader utility beyond goal-scoring alone.

Jorge Jesus Favors a Rotational Midfield

Manager Jorge Jesus continues to rely on Khaybri as part of a midfield rotation, balancing him with Angelo and pairing them alongside Marcelo Brozovic as needed. This approach has allowed the coach to maintain intensity and freshness across a demanding schedule.

Felix Puts His Asian Stamp

In the 81st minute, Portuguese star Joao Felix added a second for Al-Nassr with a superb solo run that culminated in a powerful finish past the Zawraa goalkeeper. This tally marked Felix’s first Asian goal for the club, capping a strong debut period in continental competition and affirming his pivotal role since arriving last summer from Chelsea.

Felix arrived amid high expectations, having appeared in the opening match of the campaign against Istiklol Dushanbe, a 5-0 victory where he did not find the net or assist. Since joining, he has been prolific in the league—five goals—and has contributed in cup competitions and the AFC Champions League 2, totaling eight goals and two assists across all competitions as of this match.

Team Form and Depth

The victory keeps Al-Nassr’s season-long run of good form intact. They entered the season in strong fashion with a 5-0 win over Al-Taawoun (the Cooperation reference in the Arabic text) and have since added wins over Al-Wehda, Al-Riyadh, and Al-Ittihad in domestic competitions, with a 4-0 King Cup victory over Al-Jeddah and a 5-0 triumph over Istiklol in the AFC competition, among others. In the AFC Champions League 2, they beat Al-Zawraa 2-0 to maintain an unbeaten start in continental competition as the season progresses.

Overall, Al-Nassr has played nine competitive matches this season, winning eight and drawing one, while scoring 29 and conceding just four. Their attacking unit — spearheaded by Felix, Ronaldo, Mane, and Kingsley Coman — continues to click, supported by a compact defense that has been among the tournament’s stingiest at this early stage.

In short, the team is firing on multiple cylinders, both at home and in Asia, and the momentum looks set to carry them through another demanding campaign. The next challenges will test the squad’s breadth and the manager’s tactical choices as they aim to stay atop their group and beyond.

Punchline 1: If precision injuries were a thing, Nasser would still be shipping in the sniper rifles—because their shots are always on target.

Punchline 2: They say defense wins titles, but this crew is proving that even a sniper would swap his scope for a fast break and a roar from the bench.