Cristiano Ronaldo marked a stunning return from injury with a brace as Al Nassr defeated Al Najma 5-2 to tighten their hold at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings.
Playing his 100th league game for the club, the Portuguese star showed no signs of his recent hamstring injury, taking his career tally to an astonishing 967 goals. He had missed Portugal national football team’s recent World Cup warm-up fixtures in the United States.
Al Nassr dominated much of the first half but were caught off guard just before the break when Rakan Al Tulayhi finished off a quick move led by Felippe Cardoso. The hosts, however, responded swiftly with two goals before halftime to regain control.
Al Najma struck back early in the second half, with Cardoso again involved in the buildup as David Tijanic helped restore parity. But the momentum soon swung back.
Ronaldo put Al Nassr ahead in the 56th minute from the penalty spot after a handball by Abdullah Al Hawsawi. He then sealed the victory with a composed second goal, finishing off a precise assist from Nawaf Bouchel.
The brace took Ronaldo’s league tally to 23 goals this season, placing him behind Ivan Toney (25) and Julian Quinones (24) in the scoring charts. The win gives Al Nassr a vital edge in the title race, opening up a gap over rivals Al Hilal, who remain in contention with a game in hand.
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