Al Nassr vs Al Fateh HIGHLIGHTS Saudi Pro League (NSSR 2-1 AFF), final score: Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals in two matches in 2024 as Al Nassr resumed Saudi Pro League duties with a 2–1 win over Al Fateh on 17 February.
Ronaldo broke the deadlock once again on Saturday with a superb first-time finish, but Al Nassr's lead lasted only 12 minutes before Salem Al Najdi fired a powerful shot past substitute goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah.
Al Nassr were far from convincing after the break, but a clear moment of quality sealed the points, with Ronaldo's compatriot Otavio converting a powerful diving header midway through the second half. Luis Castro's side are now four points behind undefeated league leaders Al Hilal, who have a game in hand.
Fulltime | Goal scorers | |
---|---|---|
Al Nasser | 2 | Ronaldo (17'), Otavio (72') |
Al Fateh | 1 | Al Najdi (29') |
Al Nassr (4-2-3-1, right to left): 36. Ragid Al Najjar (33. Waleed Abdullah, 26') (GK) - 2. Sultan Al Ghanem (5. Abdulellah Al Amri, 81') 78 . Ali Alawjami, 27. Aymeric Laporte, 15. Alex Telles - 17. Abdullah Al Khaybari, 77. Marcelo Brozovic - 94. Anderson Talisca, 25. Otavio (14. Sami Al Naji, 90+4'), 10. Sadio Mane — 7. Cristiano Ronaldo.
Al Fateh (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Jacob Rinne (GK) - 2. Ali Al Zubaidi, 64. Jason Denayer, 17. Marwane Saadane, 83. Salem Al Najdi - 7. Mukhtar Ali , 28. Sofiane Bendebka (87. Qassim Alawjami, 89') - 11. Murad Batna, 10. Lucas Zelarayan, 37. Cristian Tello (49. Saad Fahd Al Sharafa, 79') - 21. Zinini (66. Abbas Al Hassan ) , 68')
Ronaldo sweetly connected with a low cross from Sultan Al Ghanem to give his team the lead, with the 39-year-old finding the ball before his marker, Jason Denayer, the former Manchester City and Lyon defender.
However, Al Nassr have looked a little suspect in defense for most of this season, and it never felt like the equalizing goal would be a surprise. It arrived just before the half-hour mark, Al Najdi's left-footed strike from the edge of the box proving too powerful for Abdullah, who had come on for the injured Ragid Al Najjar just three minutes earlier.