JEDDAH — In a highly anticipated clash, Al Nassr emerged victorious with a historic 5-2 win against Al Ittihad, narrowing the point gap with league leaders Al Hilal to seven points. This marked Al Ittihad's third consecutive loss in the Saudi Professional League, while Al Nassr celebrated a refreshing triumph.
The match featured notable performances, with Cristiano Ronaldo showcasing his scoring prowess by netting two goals, bringing his total to 53 goals across all competitions this year. Senegalese player Sadio Mane ended his goal drought with a brace, and Anderson Talisca contributed with his first goal against Al Ittihad in the Saudi Professional League.
Despite an early lead by Al Ittihad's Abdulrazak Hamdallah, Al Nassr responded swiftly with a penalty converted by Ronaldo. Talisca added a second goal, giving Al Nassr the lead before halftime. Hamdallah equalized early in the second half, but the match took a pivotal turn when a penalty was awarded to Al Nassr, and Al Ittihad's Fabinho received a red card.
Ronaldo converted the penalty, Mane scored two more goals, and Al Nassr secured the record victory. The win boosts Al Nassr's morale ahead of their upcoming match against Al Taawoun and positions them in second place with 43 points, trailing behind Al Hilal with 50 points. Al Ittihad remains in sixth place with 28 points.
