In a thrilling encounter at the Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Al Nassr FC secured a convincing 5-2 victory against 10-man Al Ittihad Club. Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane stole the show, each scoring two goals, as they showcased their attacking prowess against a side led by Karim Benzema.
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The match kicked off with both teams displaying an attacking brand of football, exchanging possession in the early minutes. Al Ittihad drew first blood in the 14th minute, courtesy of a near-post finish by former Al Nassr player Abderazzak Hamdallah, who adeptly beat two defenders inside the box.
However, Al Nassr quickly responded, with Ronaldo netting a penalty in the 19th minute after Ali Lajami was fouled by Benzema. The 38th minute saw Al Nassr taking the lead, as Anderson Talisca controlled a cross from Alex Telles beautifully and found the back of the net with a composed finish.
The halftime score favored Al Nassr, but Ittihad leveled the playing field shortly after the break. Hamdallah scored his second, this time with a header in the 52nd minute, putting the teams on equal footing once again.
The turning point occurred when Ittihad’s Fabinho was sent off for striking Otavio’s face inside the box. Ronaldo capitalized on the penalty opportunity in the 68th minute, giving Al Nassr the lead once more. With a numerical advantage, Al Nassr dominated the game, and Sadio Mane sealed the win with two easy tap-ins in the 75th and 82nd minute.
Al Nassr Close In On Al Hilal
The victory closed Al Nassr’s gap from league leaders Al Hilal to seven points, positioning them as strong contenders in the Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo’s stellar performance further solidified his status as the league’s leading scorer, boasting an impressive tally of 19 goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo to Secure Top Scorer Title for 2023
As the curtains draw on 2023, Portuguese maestro Cristiano Ronaldo emerges as the leading goal-getter of the year, notching an impressive 53 goals and surpassing the tallies of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe. Ronaldo’s hat trick against 10-man Al-Ittihad propelled him to the top spot with his 17th goal in the Saudi Pro League this season. However, delving into the significance of these goals raises questions.
While Kane represents Bayern Munich and Mbappe dons the jersey of Paris Saint-Germain—both prominent clubs in the top five European leagues contending for the Champions League—does the domestic dominance of these teams overshadow the impact of Ronaldo’s goals for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia?
Despite Ronaldo’s goal-scoring prowess, Al-Nassr finds itself trailing league leaders Al-Hilal by seven points, mainly attributed to their defensive struggles, conceding 22 goals this season. Comparatively, both teams exhibit similar goal-scoring statistics. Furthermore, Al-Nassr is actively participating in the AFC Champions League, but the competition does not match the prestige of its UEFA counterpart.
It’s essential to avoid dismissing numbers in smaller leagues, as they may overlook the valuable contributions of players who significantly impact their teams. In the case of Saudi Arabia, where the domestic league bears some resemblance to America’s Major League Soccer, Ronaldo’s feats deserve recognition beyond the confines of the league’s size.
