João Félix achieved a remarkable hat trick, while Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his 100th goal in Saudi Arabia during Al Nassr‘s 4-2 victory over Al Shabab on Thursday, extending their lead in the Saudi Pro League to five points over their closest rivals, Al Hilal.
Félix quickly placed Al Nassr ahead by two goals in less than 10 minutes, with two swift strikes. However, Yannick Carrasco managed to score before halftime, reducing Al Shabab’s deficit to 2-1.
With 15 minutes left, Ronaldo found the net by converting a cross from Sadio Mané at the near post, marking his 971st career goal and extending his seasonal tally to 26 league goals. He has now scored a total of 127 goals in all competitions for Al Nassr.
“Ronaldo is always a threat in attack, and he showed that once again today,” remarked Al Nassr coach Jorge Jesus.
Despite Ali Al-Bulayhi scoring for Al Shabab, making the final moments tense, Félix sealed the victory by scoring his third goal from the penalty spot.
This triumph moves Al Nassr to 82 points from 32 matches, five points ahead of second-place Al Hilal, who still have a game in hand.
The two teams are set to clash on May 12 in a potentially decisive matchup, with Ronaldo aiming for his first trophy since joining Al Nassr in January 2023. Additionally, Al Nassr has the chance to secure silverware on May 16 in the Asian Champions League Two final against Gamba Osaka.
“Now we have a derby match against our rivals, which will be a challenging encounter,” Jesús said. “We’re fully aware of its significance and are approaching it with complete commitment, as we know small details could define the outcome.”
Data from ESPN Global Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.