Al-Nassr Move To Second In Saudi Pro League After Dossary Own Goal Lifts Victory Over Al-Taawoun

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Al-Nassr closed the gap on Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal to five points with a 1-0 victory over Al-Taawoun, secured by a Mohammed Al Dossary own goal. The result marked Al-Nassr’s 13th league win of the campaign and strengthened second place in the standings.

The win also extended Al-Nassr’s recovery from a difficult spell. After a sequence of four league fixtures without success, the team have now put together three straight top-flight victories. That run has kept pressure on Al-Hilal at the top and maintained Al-Nassr’s momentum during a key stage of the season.

The decisive moment arrived in first-half stoppage time. Sadio Mane delivered a cross into a crowded penalty area, and the retreating Mohammed Al Dossary diverted the ball into the net. The own goal separated the sides, giving Al-Nassr a narrow lead that Al-Taawoun were unable to overturn.

Before that breakthrough, Al-Nassr had already threatened on several occasions. Cristiano Ronaldo struck the crossbar with a volley after a precise pass from Mohamed Simakan. Soon after, Simakan headed in Ronaldo’s free-kick towards the bottom-right corner, but VAR disallowed the effort for offside, frustrating the hosts.

Al-Nassr continued to apply pressure after half-time, controlling possession and territory. Mane, returning from Africa Cup of Nations success with Senegal, almost marked the occasion with a goal, but a driven effort came back off the post. The hosts kept Al-Taawoun deep, limiting counter-attacks and easing defensive concerns.

Al-Taawoun stayed in the match thanks largely to goalkeeper Mailson. During the first half, Mailson denied both Ronaldo and Mane with a series of sharp saves. Late on, Mailson blocked another Ronaldo attempt at the near post, ensuring the scoreline remained close despite Al-Nassr’s territorial dominance.

Across the 90 minutes, Al-Nassr created far more chances but lacked clinical edge. The team produced 20 shots and an expected goals figure of 1.2. By contrast, Al-Taawoun managed only three attempts, with an xG of 0.05, underlining how little threat Al-Nassr allowed defensively.

This match extended Al-Nassr’s impressive scoring sequence in the Saudi Pro League. The club have now found the net in 70 consecutive league fixtures, recording 184 goals during that stretch. Only Al-Hilal have a longer scoring run in league history, holding the record with 86 successive games.

Al-Nassr’s latest success also completed a league double over Al-Taawoun. It is the sixth time Al-Nassr have achieved this in Saudi Pro League play, and the first occasion since the 2021-22 season. Those meetings further underline Al-Nassr’s strong recent record against Al-Taawoun.

The narrow victory followed similar tight wins against Al-Shabab and Damac, where Al-Nassr also failed to convert many chances. Despite those wasteful spells, the team continue to gather points and sustain pressure near the summit, keeping the title contest with Al-Hilal finely balanced as the season progresses.

Key statistical details from Al-Nassr’s Saudi Pro League win over Al-Taawoun are set out below.