Cristiano Ronaldo scored on Tuesday as Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr inflicted a crushing 5-1 defeat on Al-Ain in the Asian Champions League Elite in Riyadh, threatening the defending champions' hopes of reaching the round of 16.

The win was Al Nassr's third in four games in the league phase of the continental championship and moves Stefano Pioli's side to third place, just two points behind compatriots Al Hilal and Al Ahli, who lead the table at half-time.

The top eight of the 12-team groups in West and East Asia advance to the last 16 in March and Al Ain, who beat Al Nassr en route to the title last season, are in danger of clinching a place in the World Cup miss the knockout rounds.

Hernan Crespo's side have picked up just one point from their four games so far and will need a significant turnaround if they want to climb from the bottom of the table in the second half of the league phase.

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The UAE side were outplayed throughout, with Anderson Talisca giving the home side the lead in the fifth minute with a low shot from distance that slipped past Khalid Eisa.

Ronaldo doubled that lead 26 minutes later when Eisa missed Sadio Mané's shot from outside the penalty area and the Portuguese striker pounced on the loose ball.

Six minutes later, Brazilian winger Ângelo Gabriel shot forward from the left and shot towards the goal, which Eisa beat with a deflection from Fabio Cardoso, leaving the goalkeeper little chance.

Al-Ain pulled back 11 minutes after the restart when Park Yong-woo's shot beat Bento as it hit the post and hit the Al Nassr goalkeeper in the back to cross the line.

But Wesley scored nine minutes from time to end any hope of a comeback, and Talisca scored his second of the night in stoppage time to complete the defeat.