Cristiano Ronaldo endured a torrid evening as Al-Nassr surrendered a two-goal lead before suffering a late 3-2 defeat at the hands of Al-Ittihad.
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Al-Nassr's title hopes killed offWent down 3-2 to Al-IttihadRonaldo had a bad day at the officeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportTELL ME MORE
The evening began brightly for Al-Nassr, with Sadio Mane drawing first blood just three minutes after kick-off. A calamitous error at the back by Abdulelah Al-Amri gifted possession to the Senegalese forward, who calmly slotted past Predrag Rajkovic to give the home side an early advantage.
Mane was a constant thorn in the side of the Al-Ittihad defence and nearly made it 2-0 midway through the first half, only for his curling effort to drift narrowly over the crossbar. The second goal eventually arrived before the break when the ex-Liverpool man turned provider, picking out Ayman Yahya with a precise pass that the winger lashed into the net, giving Al-Nassr what looked like a comfortable cushion heading into the interval.
Al-Ittihad came out with renewed purpose after the break and made their intentions clear with a relentless attacking approach. Within just seven minutes of the restart, the visitors had not only halved the deficit but drawn level. Karim Benzema, always a threat with his movement, rose above two defenders to meet a pinpoint cross and headed home emphatically. Before Al-Nassr could regain their composure, N’Golo Kante stunned the home fans with a thunderous strike from the edge of the box.
From that point on, Al-Ittihad seized control and continued to dominate possession and territory, pinning Al-Nassr deep in their own half for large spells. In the 94th minute, Houssem Aouar delivered the sucker-punch to make it 3-2 to the Saudi Pro League leaders. Just before the final whistle, tempers flared between the two sides and Moussa Diaby was given the marching orders.
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While Ronaldo faltered, Mane was Al-Nassr's standout performer. With a goal and an assist, the former Liverpool forward was at the heart of every positive attacking move for the hosts. His pace, dribbling, and intelligent positioning consistently troubled the opposition’s backline. Had he been more clinical, Mane might have snatched a late equaliser.
THE BIG LOSER
In a match billed as one of the Saudi Pro League’s headline fixtures, much was expected from Ronaldo. However, the Portuguese icon endured one of his quietest performances in recent memory. He failed to make any significant impact in the final third, and his attempts from range were more of a spectacle for the wrong reasons than a serious threat to the goal.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
This defeat could have serious implications for Al-Nassr’s ambitions of returning to the AFC Champions League. Currently sitting fourth in the league standings, they are a point behind third-placed Al-Ahli. Their next challenge comes in the form of an away trip to Al-Akhdoud on Monday – a fixture that now carries even greater significance. With the top three guaranteed continental competition next season and their title hopes all-but over, Al-Nassr cannot afford another slip-up if they are to keep pace in the race for qualification.
