Ronaldo and Al Nassr face danger in Saudi Arabia

Al Nassr lost their advantage on Al Hilal’s turf, falling 1-3 in a key Saudi Pro League clash, making the championship battle increasingly unattainable.

In the early hours of January 13 (Vietnam time), Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al Nassr teammates visited Al Hilal’s stadium for the highlight match of the 14th round of the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League.Despite starting confidently and taking an early lead, the yellow-green team had to leave the field defeated 1-3, facing the risk of ending another season empty-handed.

After a costly slip-up against Al Qadsiah a few days earlier, Al Nassr had to give their all against the league leaders. The opening minutes saw an open game, with the visitors applying significant pressure. First-half stats show Al Nassr fired six shots on target, far surpassing the home side’s single attempt.

That effort was rewarded in the 42nd minute. From a sharp combination play, Kingsley Coman delivered a precise through ball to Cristiano Ronaldo, who then fired a decisive shot into the top corner to put Al Nassr ahead. This marked CR7’s 16th goal across all competitions this season, giving the visitors the lead going into halftime.

However, the second half turned into a nightmare for Al Nassr. In the 57th minute, Mohamed Simakan fouled Malcom inside the penalty area, allowing Salem Al Dawsari to convert the penalty and level the score. Minutes later, the situation worsened when goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi collided heavily with Ruben Neves. After VAR review, the referee upgraded a yellow card to a red for violent conduct, forcing Al Nassr to play with ten men for over half an hour.

With the numerical advantage, Al Hilal dominated the match. In the 81st minute, Mohamed Kanno surged in to score from close range, making it 2-1. Then, in the second minute of stoppage time, Al Nassr’s defensive error in the box allowed Ruben Neves to calmly seal a 3-1 victory from the penalty spot.

This defeat marked Al Nassr’s third consecutive loss, leaving them seven points behind Al Hilal after 14 rounds. With declining form and repeated setbacks at crucial moments, the hope to compete for the championship for Ronaldo and his teammates is gradually fading.