Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on his return from damage as Al-Nassr moved six factors clear on the Saudi Professional League summit by coming from behind to beat backside aspect Al-Najma on the King Saud College Stadium.
Video Assistant Referee checks have been concerned in each of Ronaldo’s objectives, beginning when the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was afforded the possibility to fireside in from the penalty spot within the 56th minute after Abdullah Al-Hawsawi was adjudged to have dealt with his free-kick.
هدف! ⚽️كريستيانو رونالدو يمنح النصر التقدّم من علامة الجزاء 🔥 #النصر_النجمة | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/6yDGjAx0aL
— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) April 3, 2026
Nawaf Boushal was initially dominated offside when the right-back surged clear, entered the field and minimize a cross again for Ronaldo to tee himself up and smash a strike previous goalkeeper Victor Braga with 17 minutes remaining, however the 41-year-old’s protests turned to glee when expertise deemed the aim legitimate.
Rakan Al-Tulayhi gave the guests, who look doomed to relegation, a shock Forty fourth-minute lead with a scientific end after Al-Najma stored the hazard alive following a curtailed counter-attack.
بوشل يصنع 🅰️رونالدو يسجل ⚽️
هكذا عزز كريستيانو النتيجة 🟡#النصر_النجمة | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/WgqzYrZAeT
— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) April 3, 2026
Abdullah Al-Hamdan slotted Al-Nassr stage throughout first-half added time after Abdulelah Al-Amri headed down Marcelo Brozovic’s cross and there was nonetheless time earlier than the interval for Sadio Mane to attain, charging contained in the penalty space on the left and discovering the far nook of the online.
Felippe Cardoso gave Al-Najma the perfect begin to the second half with a composed end from a swift transfer, however Ronaldo’s double and an added-time tap-in by Mane elevated Al-Nassr’s lead over second-placed Al-Hilal, who host fifth-placed Al-Taawoun on Saturday (19:00 BST).
أنجيلو يصنع 🅰️ماني يسجل ⚽️
هكذا تقدّم النصر بالنتيجة#النصر_النجمة | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/FeT9ynZStn
— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) April 3, 2026
Al Nassr vs Al Najma: How Ronaldo returned and Mane shone
Ronaldo is now on 22 objectives in 23 league video games this season however the Al-Nassr captain raised his eyes to the sky when Victor Braga denied him in a one-on-one earlier than the opener and minimize an irritated determine as Al-Najma contained the title hopefuls early on.
Victor Braga’s lengthy ball arrange Al-Najma to equalise in fashion and the underdogs have been sad with the choice in opposition to Al-Hawsawi, the ball showing to hit the right-back’s elbow.
فرحة عبدالله الحمدان 🟡🔵#النصر_النجمة | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/biLLbv4PMd
— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) April 3, 2026
“It’s such a assured penalty,” former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson instructed the Saudi Professional League YouTube channel.
“We don’t count on the rest but it surely’s so nicely struck: exhausting, low, going away from the goalkeeper. It’s a penalty method that’s been so profitable over time.
“His sixth penalty of the season; by no means unsure when he steps up from 12 yards.”
هدف! ⚽️ساديو ماني يسجل خامس أهداف النصر🔥 #النصر_النجمة | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/OZzroyDCzW
— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) April 3, 2026
The 2-time Saudi Professional League high scorer missed three Al-Nassr matches and Portugal’s worldwide fixtures in March with a hamstring subject – but when the all-time high scorer in worldwide soccer was just a little rusty throughout the first half, Mane proved sharp once more.
“As soon as he will get within the 18-yard field, he opens his physique up and goals for that far put up,” Robinson noticed of the Senegal talisman’s first aim.
“There was an enormous deflection off [Nasser] Al-Haleel on the way in which by, however [home coach] Jorge Jesus and Al-Nassr gained’t care.
“It regarded like [Jorge Jesus] was in for one of the crucial tough workforce talks he’d have to offer. They battled and located a manner.”
Ronaldo had been changed and applauded from the bench by the point substitute Salem Al-Najdi raced contained in the field on the left and squared a cross for Mane’s second.
Evaluation: ‘Good indicators’ for Saudi strugglers Al-Najma
Al-Najma gained computerized promotion from the First Division final season however began this match 14 factors from security, having appointed Serbian-British coach Nestor El Maestro in February in an try to flee relegation.
In search of an finish to a five-match shedding run, Al-Najma correctly and successfully stored the match tight and their well-taken objectives weren’t totally undeserved, if just for their stubbornness, solidity and spectacular response to falling behind for the primary time.
ديفيد يصنع 🅰️كاردوزو يسجل ⚽️
هكذا عدّل النجمة النتيجة#النصر_النجمة | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/pblNNtqGsB
— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) April 3, 2026
“That was such an excellent counter-attack to hit Al-Nassr’s excessive line,” Robinson mentioned after Cardoso’s cool contact and drive to stage.
“Victor Braga can take a lot credit score: he noticed a chance. Inside three passes, they’d the ball behind the Al-Nassr web.
هدف! ⚽️راكان الطليحي يسجل هدف النجمة الأول ويقص شريط الأهداف 🔥 #النصر_النجمة | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/tmSaiiSXgM
— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) April 3, 2026
“The way in which they’ve carried out tonight… [there are] good indicators for the supervisor when it comes to these gamers and what he can utilise subsequent season to attempt to get again into this league.
“In the event that they’d performed like this for the remainder of the season, they may not have misplaced 20 of 26 [previous league matches].”
Al Nassr workforce vs Al Najma
Goalkeepers Raghed Al-Najjar and Mubarak Al-Buainain (each knee) have been injured for Al-Nassr, as have been defender Inigo Martinez and winger Kingsley Coman with hamstring issues.
Midfielder Sami Al-Najei (knee) was additionally sidelined. Ahead Joao Felix, who has 15 objectives and 11 assists within the league this season, and wideman Ayman Yahya have been suspended.
Al-Nassr beginning XI: Bento Matheus, Sultan Al-Ghannam, Mohamed Simakan, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Saad Al-Nasser, Marcelo Brozovic, Angelo Gabriel, Abdulrahman Ghareeb, Sadio Mane, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Cristiano Ronaldo
Al-Nassr substitutes: Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Nader Al-Sharari, Nawaf Boushal, Salem Al-Najdi, Rakan Al-Ghamdi, Hayder Abdulkareem, Ali Al-Hassan, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Mohammed Marran
Al Najma line up vs Al Nassr
Left-back Mohammed Al-Kunaydiri will miss the remainder of Al-Najma’s season with a knee damage.
Al-Najma beginning XI: Victor Braga, Vitor Vargas, Samir Caetano, Nasser Al-Haleel, Majed Dawran, Rakan Al-Tulayhi, Abdullah Hawsawi, David Tijanic, Felippe Cardoso, Nabil Emad, Mohammed Al-Aqal
Al-Najma substitutes: Walid Al-Enezi, Guga Rodrigues, Mohammed Mansour, Abdulaziz Al-Harabi, Khalid Al-Soubaiy, Mohammed Al-Fatil, Sultan Al-Essa, Majed Sharahi, Hisham Al-Dubais
Al Nassr vs Al Najma stats
This was the second-ever assembly between the groups. Al-Nassr recorded the most important win of their season once they visited Al-Najma on February 25, successful 5-0 by objectives by Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Coman, Martinez and Ali Al-Hassan
Al-Nassr had stored a clear sheet in 11 of their earlier 12 video games in all competitions and had not conceded in any of their earlier 4 dwelling league matches, spanning greater than seven hours of soccer throughout these video games
Ronaldo’s most up-to-date look for Al-Nassr, in a 3-1 win at Al-Fayha, was the primary time in 5 league appearances that the 41-year-old had not scored, contributing 5 objectives and one help throughout his earlier 4 such video games
Mane scored in a 3rd straight outing for Al-Nassr
Al-Najma have spent your complete season on the foot of the desk however have been impressed to their first win of the marketing campaign by El Maestro on February 14, beating Al-Kholood 2-1 at dwelling by objectives by Felippe and former Marseille winger Bilal Boutobba
Throughout 5 consecutive defeats between then and visiting Al-Nassr, they’d failed to attain greater than as soon as in a recreation and misplaced by an combination of 19-3
This was the second event on which Al-Najma had scored greater than as soon as of their final 13 matches, failing to web on 5 events throughout that sequence
Solely second-bottom Al-Akhdoud (22) and Damac (24) have scored fewer objectives on this season’s high flight than Al-Najma (25)
Their whole of 66 objectives conceded is the worst within the division
Two of Al-Najma’s eight factors have come away from dwelling
