Saudi Pro League: VAR disallows goals for both sides as Ronaldo penalty edges Al Nassr over Al Ahli

Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty in the 68th minute with a bottom left corner finish and won three points for his side.

Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring the penalty vs Al ahli in the Saudi Pro League | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Al Nassr won against Al Ahli by a solitary goal away from home in the Saudi Pro League on March 16.

Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty in the 68th minute with a bottom left corner finish and won three points for his side.

This wasn’t the first time Ronaldo found the net, as in the 42nd minute, the Portuguese scored but a long VAR check ruled him offside. Sadio Mane on the right played a ball to Ronaldo and initially the flag stayed down, but VAR disallowed the goal later.

In the 57th time, VAR struck again but this time ending Al Ahli’s celebration. Roberto Firmino had scored with a simple tap in off of a pass from Alana Saint-Maximin from the right. But that move was ruled offside later as well.

Al Ahli started the game strong and seemed like the better of the two sides. It even struck the crossbar when Riyad Mahrez’s corner was met by Merih Demiral’s header but stopped by the post in the 37th minute.

Al Nassr picked up pace and dominated the second 45 and despite Ahli’s push for a goal in the dying embers of the game, Nassr’s penalty, which was conceded due to a tackle by Roger Ibanez on Al Najei, was enough for it to gain three points.

Nassr remains second, nine points behind Al Hilal, which has a game in hand in the Saudi Pro League.