Al Nassr faced against Al Ettifaq today in a crucial Saudi Pro League showdown, and once again, Cristiano Ronaldo found a way to be on target—though this time, luck played a major role.
After being held scoreless and trailing 1-0 throughout the first half, Al Nassr found an equalizer early in the second period through a clinical finish from João Félix. The momentum shifted entirely in favor of the visitors, setting the stage for Ronaldo’s decisive moment in the 67th minute.
The go-ahead goal came in unconventional fashion. During a sustained Al Nassr attack, Felix’s powerful strike toward the net took a sharp deflection off Ronaldo’s body. The sudden change in direction completely wrong-footed Al Ettifaq’s goalkeeper, sending the ball into the back of the net to give Al Nassr a 2-1 lead.
With this latest strike, the Al Nassr captain has reached 957 career goals, leaving him just 43 shy of becoming the first player in soccer history to hit the 1,000-goal milestone.
Additionally, the Portuguese superstar solidified his position at the top of the Saudi Pro League scoring charts, leading the Golden Boot race with 13 goals this season.
Al Nassr missed a huge chance
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s fortuitous goal that put Al Nassr ahead with nearly 20 minutes remaining, the club failed to capitalize on the lead as Georginio Wijnaldum struck in the 80th minute to rescue a 2-2 draw.
In doing so, Jorge Jesus’ squad missed a significant opportunity to extend their lead to five points over Al Taawoun, who remain their closest challengers in second place with 28 points, while Al Nassr maintains the top spot with 31 points.
Furthermore, Al Hilal currently sit in third place with 26 points but hold a game in hand to be played tomorrow. A victory would allow them to close the gap with Al Nassr to just two points. Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates will return to action on Friday, January 2, in a challenging matchup against Al Ahli.