Soufiane Rahimi's first half strike earns Al-Ain narrow advantage over Al-Nassr in Asian Champions League quarter-finals

Al-Ain will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their Asian Champions League quarter-final against Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr next week, having defeated the 10-man Saudi Pro League outfit on Monday.

Soufiane Rahimi's 44th-minute goal gave Hernan Crespo's side a slim lead, with former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte ruled out of the second leg due to a late red card.

Referee Hiroyuki Kimura dismissed Laporte for violent conduct four minutes into added time after a scuffle with Bandar Al-Ahbabi, bringing a tense end to a high-octane clash at a packed Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

Al-Ain's Paraguayan midfielder Kaku had his effort ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside call in the build-up, but with a minute remaining in the half, Rahimi completed a flowing move to put his team ahead.

Kaku held off Aziz Behich's attention to deliver a defence-splitting pass on the turn into the penalty area 30 yards from goal, where a fast-arriving Rahimi cut in from the left to round the sprawling David Ospina and slot into an empty net.

Moments later, Khalid Eisa denied Ronaldo an equaliser with a strong hand, blocking the Portuguese forward's low effort to his right.

A disjointed second half came to life in the closing stages, with Eisa denying Ronaldo again with 10 minutes left, the UAE international making an instinctive save to block a shot from seven yards out.

However, Laporte's 94th-minute dismissal, which occurred after Kimura checked the pitch-side monitor, means Al-Nassr will face a significant challenge in the second leg in Riyadh next Monday.

The winner of the tie will face either Al-Hilal or Al-Ittihad in the semi-finals, with the Saudi pair meeting in the first leg of the second west Asian quarter-final on Tuesday.

On the eastern side of the draw, South Korean duo Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Motors will meet on Tuesday, while Japan's Yokohama F Marinos will face Shandong Taishan of China on Wednesday.

SportsLigue