Al-Hilal 1-3 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo nets brace to lift visitors to third

Cristiano Ronaldo’s second-half brace led Al-Nassr to 3rd successful the Saudi Pro League standings aft they bushed Al-Hilal 2-1 connected Friday.

It was besides Ronaldo’s archetypal goals against Al-Hilal astatine the 4th effort successful his league meetings against them, portion besides taking his tally to 70 goals successful the division.

The opening play lacked immoderate chances of note, with Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran seeing efforts blocked, with Aiman Yahya the archetypal to trial Yassine Bounou successful the 43rd minute.

But Al-Nassr edged up successful the 4th infinitesimal of first-half stoppage clip successful stunning manner erstwhile Ali Al Hassan picked retired the apical country with a curling onslaught from the borderline of the box.

And conscionable 2 minutes aft the break, the visitors doubled their pb done Ronaldo, who sent a left-footed effort from wrong the container past Bounou aft being recovered by Mane’s clever cutback.

However, Al-Hilal responded conscionable aft the hr erstwhile a teasing country transportation was flicked to the backmost station by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, with Ali Al Bulayhi connected manus to caput the shot into the nett connected the line.

The hosts continued to propulsion for a leveller having halved the deficit, with Marcos Leonardo going close, but hopes of a comeback evaporated 2 minutes from full-time.

Al-Hilal full-back Moteb Al Harbi was adjudged to person handled the shot wrong the box, giving Ronaldo the accidental to seal the triumph from the punishment spot.

And the 40-year-old made nary mistake from 12 yards, firing the shot down the mediate to proceed Stefano Pioli’s side’s good commencement to 2025.

Data Debrief: Ronaldo hits 20 league goals again

Ronaldo continues to beryllium that property is conscionable a number, with the 40-year-old proving to beryllium the quality for Al-Nassr erstwhile again with his awesome show connected Friday.

The five-time Ballon d’Or victor is the Saudi Pro League’s apical scorer this season, with his 2 goals astatine the Kingdom Arena taking him to 21 goals successful the top-flight, reaching the 20-goal people for the 15th clip successful his illustrious career.

Al-Nassr besides continued their complaint towards the apical two. They person earned the astir points (29) successful the Pro League successful 2025, six much than Al-Hilal (23).

And they were worthy of their win, ending the contention with an expected goals (xG) full of 2.37 from their 18 shots to Al-Hilal’s 1.61 from their 16 attempts, though lone 3 of those were connected people connected a frustrating evening for Jorge Jesus’ team.