Saudi Pro League 2024-25: Cristiano Ronaldo stars as Al Nassr registers narrow win at Al Raed

Saudi Pro League 2024-25: Cristiano Ronaldo stars as Al Nassr registers narrow win at Al Raed

Cristiano Ronaldo powered Al Nassr to a 2-1 win against Al Raed in a Saudi Pro League fixture at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday.

Ronaldo not only found the back of the net himself but also set up Al Nassr’s second goal.

The deadlock was broken in the 35th minute, courtesy of a well-executed free-kick. Marcelo Brozovic delivered a perfectly weighted ball into the box, and Ronaldo, having cleverly evaded the offside trap, deftly flicked the ball past the goalkeeper, registering his 15th league goal of the season. 

Just after the halftime break, in the 47th minute, the Knights of Najd doubled their advantage. This time, Ronaldo turned provider, his pass finding left-back Nawaf Boushal, who had made an excellent overlapping run. Boushal’s first touch took him past the defender, and he then calmly slotted the ball past the diving goalkeeper, extending his team’s lead to 2-0.

Al Raed, however, was not ready to concede defeat. In the 76th minute, its captain, Amir Sayoud, produced a moment of individual brilliance. With a superb solo effort, Sayoud carved his way through the Al Nassr defence and finished with pinpoint accuracy, pulling his team back into the game at 2-1. 

The goal injected renewed hope into the host as it began to exert significant pressure on Al Nassr, threatening to find an equaliser. The momentum had clearly shifted, and the atmosphere inside the stadium intensified.

Despite the late surge from Al Raed, Ronaldo and Co. managed to hold on to their lead and secure the three points. While Ronaldo’s performance was undoubtedly the highlight for Al Nassr, it wasn’t Sadio Mane’s day. The Senegalese forward struggled to find his range, failing to convert three headed chances.

With this win, Al Nassr moved to third in the league table with 38 points from 18 matches.