Once again, Cristiano Ronaldo was the decisive figure for Al-Nassr. The Portuguese superstar delivered under pressure on Friday, converting a last-minute penalty to put his team ahead. Al-Shabab had a chance to equalize moments later, but their missed penalty sealed the win for Ronaldoās side.
This crucial victory keeps Al-Nassr within striking distance of Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal. Facing one of the strongest teams of the season in Al-Shabab, who were just two points behind, Al-Nassr needed a win to stay competitive in the title raceāand Ronaldo ensured they got it.
After a tightly contested first half with few clear scoring opportunities, Aymeric Laporte broke the deadlock for Al-Nassr 24 minutes into the second half. The defender found the back of the net with a well-placed left-footed shot following a corner kick and a series of rebounds inside the box.
However, Al-Nassrās lead was short-lived. In the 90th minute, Al-Shabab equalized through an unfortunate own goal by substitute Ali Al-Hassan. Just minutes after coming onto the pitch, Al-Hassan found himself unable to avoid redirecting a low, driven cross from Nawaf Al-Sadi into his own net.
The chaos of the final minutes
Al-Shababās 90th-minute equalizer appeared to be a devastating blow for Al-Nassr, but the team remained confident and pressed for victory in stoppage time. Their persistence paid off when Argentine referee Dario Herrera pointed to the spot after a foul on Abdulrahman Ghareeb inside the box. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take the penalty, and with his trademark composure, calmly sent the ball past the goalkeeper.
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The clock had already passed 97 minutes, but the drama wasnāt over yet. Shortly after play resumed, Al-Shabab launched an attack that culminated in a foul inside the box. Following a VAR review, the decision was made to award another penalty. However, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Shababās Abderrazak Hamdallah couldnāt find the target, as his shot struck the post, allowing CR7 and Al-Nassr to breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate a hard-fought victory.
The current status of the Saudi Pro League
At the top of the Saudi Pro League standings, Al-Hilal lead with 21 points after seven consecutive wins. Despite being without Neymar Jr., they secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Al Feiha on Friday. Al-Nassr currently sit in second place with 17 points but could be overtaken by Karim Benzemaās Al-Ittihad, who have 15 points and a game in hand, set for tomorrow against Al Qadisiya.
