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Al Nassr secured a dominant 3-1 victory over Al Kholood in the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 match at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh on Saturday, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and new signing Jhon Duran all finding the back of the net.
Cristiano Ronaldo wasted no time in making an impact, scoring in the fourth minute after pouncing on a rebound from Al Kholood’s goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe, who had initially saved Duran’s close-range shot. This goal marked Ronaldo’s 19th league goal of the season, extending his lead over Al Shabab’s Abderrazak Hamdallah by two goals in the top scorer’s race.
Another battle won. Let’s go, @AlNassrFC 🔥 pic.twitter.com/o9IEkX5pvp
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) March 14, 2025
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Mane and Duran Extend Al Nassr’s Lead
Al Nassr doubled its lead when Ronaldo played a perfectly timed through ball to Salem Al-Najdi, who delivered a precise cross into the box. Sadio Mane was quick to react, directing the ball past the keeper. Just before halftime, Jhon Duran added his name to the scoresheet, shifting the ball onto his left foot outside the box and slotting it into the bottom right corner, giving the hosts a commanding 3-0 lead.
Al Kholood thought it had pulled one back in the ninth minute when Myziane Maolida struck from the edge of the box. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed due to a foul on Mane before the shot was taken, maintaining Al Nassr’s clean sheet heading into the break.
Al Nassr Reduced to 10 Men
The hosts suffered a setback in the second half when Nawaf Boushal received two yellow cards within a span of 10 minutes, leaving Al Nassr with 10 men. Taking advantage of the numerical superiority, Al Kholood finally broke through in the 70th minute, when Jackson Muleka’s shot took a significant deflection off Ali Lajami and found the back of the net.
Despite being a man down, Al Nassr held on to secure all three points, cutting the gap to 10 points behind league leader Al Ittihad. With Ronaldo in top form and the squad showcasing impressive attacking prowess, Al Nassr continues to push for the top spot in the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 season.
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