Al Nassr beats Al Ittihad Highlights: ITT 2-5 NAS, Saudi Pro League; Ronaldo scores two penalty goals, Mane seals the win

Al Nassr goes back home with three points in the bag as it brushed Al Ittihad aside. It was all sqaure after half-time but Fabinho’s sending off proved costly for the home side since it conceded three goals, one from Cristiano Ronaldo and two from Sadio Mane. The 10-man Ittihad never seemed like making a comeback as Nassr comfortably sealed the win and closed its gap from the league leaders, Al Hilal. 

Benzema takes a shot from distance but saved comfortably by Alaqidi. 

9 more minutes as added time. 

Otavio and Mane subbed off. 

Al Nassr makes it five as Otavia plays an amazing through ball to Mane right in front of the goal as Mane taps it in again. 

Sadio Mane scores the fourth goal and extends the lead against 10-man Ittihad. Talisca was in on goal but plays a final pass across goal fooling the keeper as Sadio Mane finishes in an empty goal. 

Ronadlo fires one away from afar but saved by Ittihad’s Almayuof.

Yellow to Lajami.

Ronaldo scores from the spot again with a perfect bottom left-corner finish!

Penalty given to Nassr as Fabinho strikes Otavio’s face inside the box. Referee went to check the VAR footage and Fabinho is awarded a red!

Fabinho gets a yellow for a tackle on Mane near the edge of the box. Ronaldo takes it but over the bar for a goal-kick.

Kante plays a cross to Benzema who was inside the box as the French striker collects it on the chest and finishes it towards the far-post, just misses the target. 

Nassr passes it around the box looking for an opening as Telles takes a shot from afar, however, wide off of the target. 

Hamdallah was close to his hat-trick as he was through on goal, but his finish was stopped by the keeper. Benzema got the ball on the rebound but failed to score in front of an open goal!

Ittihad gets back on level terms as Coronado crosses it from the right from a free-kick to Hamdallah, who was left unmarked inside the box and headed it into the net with ease. 

Talisca was in on goal but Kadish makes a perfect sliding tackle inside the box to keep the scores the same. 

Ittidad kicks the game off again as it trails by a solitary goal.

Al Nassr ahead at half-time as it looks stronger out of the two sides, however, Ittihad has had its moments. The home side striked first and created a lot of chances as we approached the final embers of the first half. Al Nassr is ahead, but will be looking to extend its lead since Ittihad is right on its toes. 

Benzema plays a strong pass to Romarinho inside the box but Al Nassr’ maintains its form at the back and defends the ball well. 

Telles awarded a yellow card for his challeneg on Hamdallah.

The ball goes in the air as Hawsawi tries to reach it, but Mane runs on the defender and almost wins the ball with the high press. 

Hamdallah takes a shot from the edge of the box but the wide off of the target. 

12 minutes added as added time. 

Ronaldo chips it high to Fofana but the ball is cleared away from the box. Benzema makes the counter attacking run with the ball but Nassr’s backline falls back efficiently and stops him. Romarinho was in on goal and takes a shot but stopped by Nassr’s Alaqidi. 

Kante pulls down Alex Telles, deep into the Ittihad box. Awarded a yellow card. 

Telles puts a cross in for Talisca who chests the ball inside the box, cuts the other way, and finds the net with a simple finish!

Mane dribbles from the right wing to the goaline as he cuts in and tries to pass it inside the box, but cleared by his former teammate, Fabinho. 

Talisca puts a cross in from the right flank to a leaping Ronaldo, but the ball goes over the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s head. 

Coronado takes the free-kick from 25 yards away, the ball is deflected away for a corner.

Benzema brought down by Fofana. Yellow card awarded. 

Yellow to Alghamdi for diving inside the box. 

Coronado takes it, crosses it to Romarinho, who heads it over the bar. 

Hamdallah brought down by Brozovic at the edge of the box. A chance from the free-kick for Ittihad. 

Al Nassr awarded a corner. Telles takes it and delivers towards Ronaldo, cleared away to Talisca who takes a volley but wide from the target. 

Coronado was in on goal for Ittihad but Laporte shields him away from the ball. 

Mane plays a through to a sprinting Ronaldo who reaches the ball and was in on goal. He tries to finish in the top-right corner but hits the cross-bar. Al Nassr misses a big chance. 

Ronaldo steps up to take the penalty. Starts with his iconic run-up and SCORES right down the middle. Al Nassr equalises!

Late challenge by Hawsawi on Otavio. Foul given to Al Nassr. The ball goes into the box from a free-kick as Benzema boots Hakami in a duel inside the box. Penalty awarded to Al Nassr!

Ronald is fouled from a tackle from behind near the halfway line. 

Hamdallah dribbles into the box and beats three defenders before striking the ball into the net from the near post. Al Itiihad takes the lead at home. 

Talisca takes a long shot which is stopped by the keeper, but Otavio reaches it on the rebound, backheels it towards Ronaldo, but the pass is intercepted!

Ronaldo scores from an early cross by Telles from the left but ruled offside. 

Telles tries to play a through ball to Mane but it is stopped beautifully by a sliding Hawsawi for Ittihad.

Telles plays a cross towards the far post to Talisca who could head it goal-wards but tries to pass it to Ronaldo at the centre of the box, however, it is intercepted by Ngolo Kante. 

Al Nassr holds the possession and plays around the box but Talisca loses the ball at the edge of the penalty area. 

The keeper plays a long-ball to Ittihad’s Hamdallah but the attacker fails to control it. 

Al Nassr kicks the game off as it dons its all-white away jersey. 

The Saudi Pro League match between Al Ittihad and Al Nassr will be live telecast on the Sony Sports Network TV channels in India. The Saudi Pro League matches can be live-streamed on the Sony LIV app and website.

Al Ittihad hosts Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema face-off on December 26 at 11:30 PM IST. 

Ittihad is currently sixth in the league table having lost its last two and drawn one out of its last five league games. The struggling home side will be hoping for better fortunes but it will be difficult facing the mighty Al Nassr side. 

The away team is basking in form having won it’s last three games however, after being thrashed 0-3 by Al Hilal recently, it will be hoping to bounce back in the league. 

Ronaldo’s side is currently second in the league table chasing a ten-point gap against the league leaders hence would be hoping for a win to end the year on a high.