An early goal from Cristiano Ronaldo was not sufficient as Al Nassr suffered a 3-1 defeat to Saudi Pro League leaders Al Hilal on Monday.
Ronaldo’s goal in the first half offered Al Nassr hope of narrowing the gap in the league standings, but Al Hilal responded with two penalties converted by Salem Al-Dawsari and Rúben Neves, along with a stunning goal from Mohamed Kanno, to secure their victory and extend their lead over the Riyadh rivals to seven points.
The match shifted significantly in the 60th minute due to a reckless challenge by Al Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi, resulting in a straight red card that left the visitors with 10 men for the remainder of the second half.
Kanno’s clever flick from a precise cross and Neves’ penalty in stoppage time allowed Al Hilal to pull away after Al-Aqidi’s dismissal, ultimately securing the win for Simone Inzaghi’s team.