Having skipped the previous two league games due to his disagreement with the club's board regarding transfers, Cristiano Ronaldo returned strongly in the clash between Al-Nassr and Al-Fateh.
Just 34 seconds into the game, Ronaldo took his first shot but the ball went wide of the goal. Al-Nassr started aggressively, continuously pressuring the home team. Kingsley Coman also had a close-range chance but failed to convert it.
In the 18th minute, the turning point came. From a low cross from the left wing by Sadio Mane, who stood out during Ronaldo's absence, CR7 made a precise one-touch finish, beating goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco to open the scoring 1-0.
After conceding, Al-Fateh pushed forward. Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem, Mourad Batna, and Jorge Fernandes each tested goalkeeper Bento, but Al-Nassr’s defense held firm. The visitors even netted another goal from Mohamed Simakan’s shot following a corner, but VAR intervened, ruling the previous play offside.
In the second half, Al-Nassr maintained control of the match. In the 78th minute, Alman Yahya sealed the 2-0 victory with a neat move inside the box followed by a powerful shot that left Pacheco with no chance.
Statistically, Al-Nassr had 14 shots compared to Al-Fateh’s 10 and exceeded their expected goals (xG) of 1.3. Notably, this was their fifth consecutive clean sheet in the Saudi Pro League, their best defensive run in over a decade.
For Ronaldo personally, this goal marked his 18th of the season, increasing his career total to 962 goals. The 41-year-old superstar is now just 38 goals away from the historic 1,000-goal milestone, a feat he continues to pursue with determination.
