Ronaldo Inspires Al-Nassr To Comeback Victory Over Al-Fayha With Clinical Double

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Cristiano Ronaldo's double led Al-Nassr to a 2-1 comeback victory over Al-Fayha in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Fayha initially took the lead 13 minutes into the match with a goal from Jason, assisted by Mohammed Al-Baqawi. However, Ronaldo equalised before halftime, finishing a precise pass from Kingsley Coman inside the six-yard box.

Elsewhere, Al-Ittihad managed a dramatic 4-4 draw against Al-Khaleej despite being reduced to ten men. Former Liverpool player Fabinho was sent off in the 32nd minute for a reckless challenge. Al-Khaleej capitalised on their numerical advantage, with Konstantinos Fortounis and Joshua King leading the charge to put them ahead.

Ronaldo's decisive penalty in stoppage time secured the win for Al-Nassr after Abdulelah Al-Amri was fouled by Mikel Villanueva. The penalty decision came after a lengthy VAR review, extending stoppage time to 15 minutes. Ronaldo confidently converted the spot-kick, sending it into the top of the net.

Al-Ittihad's comeback began when Houssem Aouar set up Moussa Diaby for their first goal in the 51st minute. Diaby scored again in the 86th minute, and late goals from Mario Mitaj and Faisal Al-Ghamdi completed their remarkable recovery to earn a point.

Despite their spirited fightback, Al-Ittihad have not won any of their last four league matches. This is their longest winless streak since April-May 2024. Meanwhile, Al-Qadisiyah suffered a 2-0 defeat to Al-Taawoun, with Waleed Al-Ahmed and Angelo Fulgini scoring for Michels' team.

Al-Nassr's victory extends their lead at the top of the table. Their scoring run now spans 60 consecutive games in the Saudi Pro League, marking their longest streak since at least the 2011-2012 season.

Statistical Insights

The match at Al-Awwal Park was closely contested. The hosts capitalised on their expected goals (xG) of 0.71 effectively, while Al-Fayha recorded an xG of 0.63. Despite not securing a win elsewhere on Saturday, Al-Ittihad's performance highlighted both resilience and areas needing improvement.

With these results, Al-Nassr solidifies its position at the top of the league standings while other teams face challenges to improve their rankings as they continue through this competitive season.