Cristiano Ronaldo Leads Al Nassr to Another Victory
Cristiano Ronaldo delivered again on Friday night, striking the winner as Al Nassr came from behind to beat Al Taawoun 2-1 and preserve their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season.
Four games, four wins, and the 41-year-old still at the heart of it all.
From chaos to control
Al Nassr arrived still buzzing from their wild 3-2 victory over Al Ettifaq on Tuesday, a game that had tested every nerve. Ange Postecoglou’s side had gone down to 10 men after goalkeeper Bento was sent off, trailed 2-0 at the break, and then watched their coach make the bold call to sacrifice Ronaldo. The gamble paid off: three goals in the final 16 minutes turned defeat into an improbable win.
This time, there was no early substitution and no dramatic reshuffle. Ronaldo started, stayed on, and decided it.
Al Nassr, though, still chose the hard way. On 11 minutes, Mohammed Bassam Al Hurayji punished slack defending, his strike putting Al Taawoun in front and briefly silencing the away end. Once again, Postecoglou’s team had to chase.
They pushed, probed, and finally broke through right at the end of the first half. In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Samú Costa met the moment, drilling home the equalizer that shifted the mood and the momentum. Al Nassr walked down the tunnel level, but with the feeling that the game now belonged to them.
Ronaldo’s touch, Ronaldo’s night
The second half opened with Al Nassr on the front foot and Al Taawoun pinned back. The pressure finally told five minutes after the restart.
João Félix tore down the left, gliding into the Al Taawoun area and cutting the ball back into a crowded box. The pass found Mohamed Simakan on the edge, who stepped onto it and drove a low effort towards the bottom corner. It looked destined to score on its own.
Then Ronaldo intervened.
Stationed six yards out, the Portugal captain instinctively flicked the ball, diverting it past the goalkeeper in the 50th minute. One touch, one decisive change of direction, one more goal. His 978th of a staggering career.
As Ronaldo wheeled away to celebrate, arms outstretched, Simakan could only stare in disbelief. Replays showed his original strike was arrowing in, but the final touch belonged to the No. 7, and so did the moment.
Al Nassr saw out the contest with a professionalism that had been missing earlier in the week. No late chaos, no frantic scramble. Just control, game management, and three more points.
Four wins from four, top of the table, and Ronaldo still writing the script.
