Ronaldo scores, misses penalty as Al Nassr beat Khaleej 2-0
Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Cristiano Ronaldo bounced back from a missed penalty to score from the spot in stoppage time, helping Al Nassr secure a 2-0 home win over Al Khaleej on Wednesday night in Saudi Pro League Round 33 action.
Returning to the starting lineup after a two-game absence, Ronaldo struck late to seal the win after Colombian forward Jhon Duran had opened the scoring in the 75th minute with a well-placed header.
The victory keeps Al Nassr in fourth place on 67 points, preserving their hopes of qualifying for next season's Saudi Super Cup, while Al Khaleej remain ninth with 37 points.
Ronaldo endured a frustrating moment earlier in the match when his 65th-minute penalty crashed against the right post and out of play, leaving the Portuguese star visibly disappointed.
The penalty had been awarded after a foul inside the area as Al Nassr ramped up pressure in search of a breakthrough.It wasn't until the 75th minute that Duran, who has been in strong form since his arrival, broke the deadlock with a powerful header.Ronaldo then made amends in added time, converting a second spot-kick to take his league tally to 24 goals, putting him back atop the scoring chart with one round remaining.Al Khaleej had their moments in the first half, most notably when Mohamed Sherif squandered a clear one-on-one chance in the 40th minute.With the win, Al Nassr stay within striking distance of a Super Cup berth and look to finish the season on a high in their final league match.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Ronaldo says he does not plan to play at Club World Cup in US
Al Nassr and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo said on Saturday he did not plan to play at the Club World Cup in the United States, despite being courted by clubs participating in the expanded 32-team tournament. Speculation over the 40-year-old's future intensified last month when FIFA President Gianni Infantino said discussions were underway about Ronaldo playing in the Club World Cup, despite Al Nassr failing to qualify. Al Nassr's sporting director Fernando Hierro said last month they were negotiating with Ronaldo over a contract extension but faced competition from a host of clubs eager to sign the five-times Ballon d'Or winner. Ronaldo himself added to the uncertainty after Al Nassr's season-ending match at Al-Fateh, posting on social media: 'This chapter is over. The story? Still being written.' Asked about the possibility of signing for another club in the coming days in order to play at the Club World Cup later this month, Ronaldo told reporters: 'It's irrelevant, at the moment it doesn't make sense to talk about things other than the national team. 'There has been plenty of contact (from clubs), I see things that make sense, others that don't. You can't go to all of them (clubs), you have to think short, medium and long term. 'It's something that's practically decided on my part, which is not to go to the Club World Cup, but I've had plenty of invitations.' On Wednesday, Ronaldo scored the winner as Portugal beat Germany 2-1 to go into the Nations League final, where they will face Spain. Many have labelled Sunday's final as a face-off between Ronaldo and 17-year-old Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal but the Portuguese forward said he did not see it as such. 'It's always been like that, whenever I've played football, whenever I've played a big game it's always been Cristiano against this one, against that one,' he said. 'It's been 20-something years and it's still the same, it doesn't keep me up at night anymore, it's a normal thing. They're completely different generations, a generation that's starting out, another that's finishing, which is my case.' 'In reality it's not like that, it's a team against a team. It will always be like that... What I want most is for Portugal to be at a good level, confident that things can go well, that we can play a great game and win against a very good team, possibly the best in the world.'
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Cristiano Ronaldo rules himself out of Club World Cup
MUNICH, Germany: Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed he would not play in the upcoming Club World Cup on Saturday, dismissing rumors he was set to transfer to one of the participating clubs. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia beat Bahrain to stay in World Cup qualification hunt
Saudi Gazette report RIFFA — Saudi Arabia kept their hopes of automatic qualification alive with a 2-0 victory over Bahrain in Group C of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 on Thursday. The result lifted Herve Renard's side to 13 points, setting up a decisive showdown with group leaders Australia next Tuesday. The Saudis must win that match by at least four goals to overtake the Socceroos on goal difference and secure second place. The Green Falcons asserted themselves early at Bahrain National Stadium. A long-range pass from Hassan Al Tambakti found Ali Majrashi in space, but the fullback's second touch allowed Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla to close down quickly. Saudi Arabia found their breakthrough in the 16th minute. Captain Salem Al Dawsari delivered a pinpoint first-time cross to the far post, where Musab Al Juwayr — recently named Saudi Pro League Young Player of the Season — calmly sidefooted the ball home. Bahrain responded with long-range efforts from Komail Al Aswad and Mohamed Marhoon, but neither troubled Saudi keeper Nawaf Al Aqidi. Al Dawsari had a chance to double the lead in the 40th minute after a clever through-ball from Aiman Yahya, but his chipped finish drifted just over the bar. After the break, Saudi Arabia pressed for a second. Feras Albrikan had the ball in the net just before the hour mark, but the goal was disallowed for offside in the buildup. Bahrain nearly equalized in the 68th minute, but Marhoon's strike off a low cross from Ebrahim Alkhatal struck the post. Five minutes later, Al Aqidi produced a double save to deny Vincent Emmanuel and Mahdi Abduljabbar in quick succession. With Bahrain pushing forward in search of a goal, Saudi Arabia capitalized. In the closing minutes, Majrashi played a through ball to substitute Abduralrahman Alobud, who finished clinically to seal the 2-0 win. Saudi Arabia now face a high-stakes final group match against Australia, where only a convincing +5 goals win will send them directly to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
