Cristiano Ronaldo scored a spectacular brace in the second half to lead his team, Al Nassr, to a convincing victory over newly promoted Al Okhdood in the Saudi Pro League.
The electrifying atmosphere at the packed Al-Awwal Park Stadium erupted as Ronaldo chipped the Al Okhdood goalkeeper from over 35 yards out to secure his second goal of the night in the 79th minute. The 38-year-old effortlessly lofted the ball into the night sky, holding the crowd’s breath until it dipped into the goal.
Just four minutes prior, the Portuguese striker had scored his first goal of the match, providing much-needed breathing room for his team, which had been clinging to a narrow 1-0 lead.
Al Nassr started the match aggressively and took an early lead through Sami Al-Najei, who netted his first-ever league goal for the club. The visitors gradually gained momentum after the half-hour mark and threatened Luis Casto’s side with counter-attacks.
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Al Okhdood exuded confidence in the second half, but the introduction of substitute Marcelo Brozovic transformed the midfield, with his incisive passing unlocking the Al Okhdood defense and allowing the former Real Madrid star to showcase his brilliance.
Ronaldo opened his account with a stunning strike from a tight angle inside the box and went on to score the goal of the match. The former Manchester United man was on the verge of completing a hat-trick, but the Al Okhdood defense, particularly their Brazilian goalkeeper P. Vitor, prevented him from taking home the match ball.
This victory puts Al Nassr just one point behind Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League standings. Although Neymar Jr’s team has a game in hand, this victory adds another layer of intrigue to next week’s top-of-the-table clash.
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