Cristiano Ronaldo’s two goals in the second half led Al-Nassr to a 2-1 victory over Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League. Despite trailing at halftime, Ronaldo’s performance ensured Al-Nassr stayed close to second-placed Al-Hilal.
Al-Riyadh initially took the lead during first-half stoppage time, but Ronaldo’s efforts turned the game around.
Al-Nassr dominated possession early on, yet it was Jhon Duran who nearly scored first. He connected with a clever flick from Ronaldo but only managed to hit the side netting. Although Al-Nassr controlled much of the play, Bernard Mensah of Al-Riyadh came close with a long-range shot that grazed the crossbar.
Faiz Selemani broke the deadlock just before halftime by capitalising on a rebound from Abdulelah Al Khaibari’s saved attempt. This gave Al-Riyadh a temporary lead. However, 11 minutes into the second half, Sadio Mane set up Ronaldo for an easy tap-in, levelling the score for Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo secured his second goal in the 64th minute with a volley that deflected off the bar and into the net. This goal marked a significant milestone as it was Al-Nassr’s 900th goal in Saudi Pro League history, making them only the second team after Al-Hilal to reach this number.
The match saw further drama when Ahmad Asiri of Al-Riyadh received a red card in injury time for a late tackle on Duran. This left Al-Riyadh with ten players on the field. Meanwhile, despite their win, Al-Qadsiah missed an opportunity to move up in standings after losing 2-1 to Al-Feiha.
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Ronaldo continues to be pivotal for his team, contributing significantly in crucial matches. In his last 12 Saudi Pro League derbies, he has been involved in 13 goals-scoring ten and assisting three. Against Al-Riyadh alone, he has netted four times across three encounters.
This victory keeps Al-Nassr within one point of rivals Al-Hilal in the league standings. Ronaldo’s consistent performances remain vital as they aim to climb higher in the league table.