Al-Nassr Faces Crushing Defeat Despite Strong Start

Despite a disappointing result, Al-Nassr began the match with notable energy, coming close to scoring through former Bayern Munich star Kingsley Coman and ex-Atletico Madrid player Joao Felix. However, captain Ronaldo had a subdued first half, with the home team managing nine shots compared to the visitors’ three, achieving an Expected Goals tally of 1.16 to 0.3.

The home crowd was left in disbelief when a corner kick resulted in an unfortunate turn of events. After the away team cleared the set piece, the ball was passed back to goalkeeper Al-Aqidi, who lingered on it for too long. His attempted clearance was intercepted by Quiñones, who seized the opportunity to score into an empty net in the 51st minute. Matters worsened for Al-Nassr when, 15 minutes later, Nandez found the back of the net, capitalizing on the rebound after a shot by Mateo Retegui had been saved.

Al-Nassr was given a glimmer of hope when Jehad Thakri was penalized for a handball, allowing Ronaldo to convert the penalty with just nine minutes remaining. Jorge Jesus’ side pushed for an equalizer but, despite ten minutes of stoppage time, they could not find the leveler. This result keeps Al-Nassr in second place, now four points behind Al-Hilal, while Al Qadsiah climbs to fourth.

Quiñones displayed quick thinking by pressuring Al-Aqidi for the opening goal, and Nandez proved to be a persistent threat throughout the match, rightly securing a goal for his efforts. Although Al-Nassr had less possession and fewer chances, the visitors were more effective with their shots on target, ultimately earning all three points.

Al-Nassr commenced the season with remarkable momentum, but they have been caught up by Al-Hilal as the campaign has progressed. The outcome of this match could have been significantly different had Al-Aqidi not made a critical error. Now, with their game in hand lost, they trail by four points in second place.