Saudi Pro League: Ronaldo Steers Al-Nassr To Three Points Behind Al-Ittihad

Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo showcased his prowess and ignited Al-Nassr's fading hopes of securing the title in his inaugural season with the club in the Saudi Pro League.

The Portuguese superstar led his team to a crucial 2-0 victory over Al-Ta'ee on Tuesday, narrowing the gap between Al-Nassr and league leaders Al-Ittihad to a mere three points with three games left in the season.

While Al-Ittihad squandered a two-goal advantage to settle for a 2-2 draw against Al-Hilal at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Ronaldo's heroics at the Al-Ta'ee Stadium in Ha'il injected new life into Al-Nassr's championship aspirations.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al-Ittihad still maintains an edge over Al-Nassr in the head-to-head record, serving as the primary tiebreaker if the teams finish level on points.

The Al-Nassr talisman broke the deadlock shortly after halftime when he confidently converted a penalty, granting his team a valuable lead. Brazilian midfielder Talisca sealed the victory for Al-Nassr with a goal ten minutes before the final whistle, securing three crucial points in their pursuit of the league title.

Meanwhile, at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, Al-Ittihad initially dominated proceedings as Igor Coronado and Ahmed Bamsoud found the back of the net within the opening 30 minutes.

However, Al-Hilal fought back valiantly, narrowing the deficit just four minutes before halftime through the efforts of Musab Aljuwayr.

Controversy struck as Aljuwayr's cross seemed to have been kept in play by Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe, leading to a prolonged period of play.

Eventually, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) confirmed that the ball had indeed crossed the goal line, leaving Al-Ittihad stunned.

In a dramatic climax, Al-Hilal's forward Michael appeared to have his shot cleared off the line by defender Ahmed Hegazy during stoppage time.

However, VAR once again intervened, verifying that the ball had crossed the goal line, leading to a second disputed goal for Al-Hilal.

Adding insult to injury, the Brazilian striker unabashedly imitated Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic "Siiii!" celebration in front of the dismayed Al-Ittihad supporters, further fueling the emotions of the game.