The AFC Champions League match between Cristiano Ronaldo's "Al-Nassr" and "Neftchi Ferghana" on Monday, October 12, was delayed by an hour after a Saudi Arabia-led military coalition said it had intercepted a missile launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh. UNN reports this, citing AFP.
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Saudi Arabia has recently suffered a series of attacks by the Iran-backed group, including strikes on oil facilities, tankers and transport hubs, as well as a number of deadly strikes on Riyadh International Airport.
There were few spectators in the stands at Al-Awwal Stadium for the match, which was scheduled for 9:15 p.m. local time (9:15 p.m. Kyiv time).
The stadium announcer said the situation was safe, that the match would take place, and asked spectators to remain in their seats.
However, the television channel broadcasting the match announced a one-hour delay.
Shortly beforehand, AFP correspondents reported hearing explosions in Riyadh.
Meanwhile, Riyadh residents received an alert on their phones stating: "The region is facing an hostile airborne threat. Please remain calm and stay at home or in a safe place, away from windows and doors, and continue to follow civil defense instructions."
The coalition later announced the "interception and destruction" of a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis in a statement on X.
The incident, the publication writes, apparently did not upset Ronaldo, who scored the 981st goal of his career just before halftime, and the Saudi champions won 3–1.
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