Cristiano Ronaldo Leads Al Nassr to Victory in Saudi Pro League

Cristiano Ronaldo struck the decisive blow on Friday night as Al Nassr clung to their perfect start in the Saudi Pro League with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Al Taawoun.

The 41-year-old, still leading the line and still dictating storylines, delivered the winner to make it four wins from four and keep Ange Postecoglou’s side on top of the table.

Al Nassr forced to rally again

Al Nassr came into the game still buzzing from their wild 3-2 comeback against Al Ettifaq on Tuesday, when they overturned a 2-0 deficit with 10 men after goalkeeper Bento’s red card. Postecoglou had even taken off Ronaldo that night in search of legs and chaos, and was rewarded with three late goals in the final 16 minutes.

This time, Ronaldo stayed on for the full 90. The jeopardy stayed too.

Al Taawoun landed the first punch. In the 11th minute, Mohammed Bassam Al Hurayji punished hesitant defending to put the visitors ahead, silencing the home support and forcing Al Nassr into another uphill climb.

The response came right on the stroke of the interval. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Samú Costa pounced to level in the fifth added minute, dragging Al Nassr back into a contest that was threatening to slip away before it had really settled.

Ronaldo’s touch decides it

The equaliser shifted the mood. The second half belonged to Al Nassr’s big names.

Five minutes after the restart, the pressure finally told. João Félix tore down the left, burst into the Al Taawoun box and cut the ball back into a crowded area. It rolled out to Mohamed Simakan on the edge of the penalty area, and the defender drilled a low effort towards the bottom corner.

His shot looked destined to score on its own. Ronaldo made sure.

Stationed six yards out, the Portugal captain instinctively flicked the ball, changing its path just enough to leave the goalkeeper helpless and claim what is recorded as his 978th career goal.

As Ronaldo sprinted away in celebration, Simakan could scarcely believe it. Replays showed his strike was heading in regardless, but the slightest touch had turned a defender’s goal into another entry on one of football’s most staggering personal tallies.

Al Nassr did the rest, seeing out the game to preserve their 100% start and underline, once again, that with Ronaldo on the pitch and Postecoglou on the touchline, drama is quickly becoming their default setting.