RIYADH – Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Al Nassr reclaimed the top spot in the Saudi Pro League with a 4-0 victory over Al Hazem on . The win comes after a period of internal friction for the club, stemming from Ronaldo’s public dissatisfaction with the lack of January transfer activity.
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 13th minute, capitalizing on a feed from Kingsley Coman. The captain controlled the ball with his right foot before unleashing a left-footed shot into the far corner. The goal stood after a VAR review confirmed he was onside. It marked Ronaldo’s 500th goal since turning 30, a testament to his continued prolificacy at 41 years old.
Coman doubled Al Nassr’s advantage in the 30th minute, finishing a well-constructed move involving João Felix. Ronaldo had a second goal disallowed for offside just before halftime, a sign of Al Nassr’s attacking intent.
The second half saw further chances for Ronaldo, with another goal ruled out for offside. However, Al Nassr continued to dominate and Angelino extended their lead to 3-0 in the 77th minute with a remarkable solo effort, starting from within his own half.
Ronaldo finally secured his brace with 10 minutes remaining, latching onto a short pass from Coman and drilling a shot into the net. Another VAR check confirmed the goal, solidifying Al Nassr’s victory and their return to the league summit.
The win propelled Al Nassr one point ahead of rivals Al Hilal, who were simultaneously held to a 1-1 draw at home by a resilient 10-man Al Ittihad. Al Hilal had taken the lead early through Malcom, set up by Karim Benzema against his former club. However, a red card for Al Ittihad’s Hassen Kadish shortly after gave Al Hilal a numerical advantage they couldn’t fully exploit.
“Back where we belong,” Ronaldo posted on Instagram following the match, signaling his satisfaction with the team’s return to form and the top of the table. The message underscores the importance of this victory, not just for league positioning, but also as a statement following his recent dispute with the club.
Al Hilal’s inability to secure a win, despite playing with a man advantage for over 80 minutes, proved costly. They opened the scoring in the 5th minute with a goal from Salem Al Dawsari, assisted by Benzema. However, Kadish’s red card in the 9th minute, following a VAR review for a professional foul on Malcom, didn’t translate into further goals for the hosts.
Despite the dismissal, Al Ittihad managed to equalize in the 53rd minute through Houssem Aouar, heading in a cross from Muhannad Al Shanqiti. Hilal continued to press for a winner, with Theo Hernandez hitting the side-netting and Benzema denied from close range, but ultimately couldn’t break the deadlock.
Al Nassr’s eighth consecutive league win demonstrates their momentum and resilience. Ronaldo’s performance, despite the offside calls, was central to their success, and the contributions of Coman, Felix, and Angelino highlight the team’s growing attacking depth. The result sets up an intriguing title race with Al Hilal, promising a competitive finish to the Saudi Pro League season.
The match also highlighted the increasing reliance on VAR in the Saudi Pro League, with multiple goals subject to review. While ensuring accuracy, the frequent checks did disrupt the flow of the game at times. The league’s commitment to utilizing technology underscores its ambition to elevate the standard of officiating and competition.
