Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr were left frustrated after arch-rival Al Hilal came back from a goal down to hold them to a 1-1 draw in the Saudi Pro League 2024-25 clash at Al Awaal Park on Friday.
Anderson Talisca scored in the opening minute of the match for the home side while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic levelled it up in the second half.
Al Nassr took the lead right after kick-off when Portuguese midfielder Otavio found Talisca on the edge of the box with a curling cross. The Brazilian took a touch to bring the ball down and dispatched it into the bottom corner for his sixth league goal of the season.
Al Hilal captain Salem Al Dawsari got his side’s first real attempt of the game near the half-hour mark, sending his shot just above the crossbar, away from a stretching Bento.
The visitor thought they had equalised in the 38th minute, but Aleksandar Mitrovic was flagged offside after putting the ball into the net from close range.
Four minutes later, at the other end, Talisca’s goal was chalked off after he was caught just offside while receiving a pass from Otavio.
In the second half, Talisca had another goal disallowed after he scored the rebound after Bono punched away a powerful shot from Brozovic.
ALSO READ | UEFA punishes Serbia for fan incidents at Switzerland game in Nations League
Al Hilal came close to an equaliser when Al Dawsari’s first-time shot from the edge of the box struck the left post, with the rebound from Renan Lodi being pushed saved by Bento.
Ronaldo had a rather quiet game and his only attempt came half an hour into the second period when his shot from outside the box forced Al Hilal keeper Yassine Bounou to make a decent save.
In the 77th minute, Al Hilal finally breached the Al Nassr defence after Al Dawsari set up Lodi inside the box with a clever backheel. The Brazilian floated a ball into the middle where Milinkovic-Savic rose the highest to head the ball into the goal.
Al Hilal thought it might have a chance to complete the comeback after play was stopped while a VAR check went on for a potential penalty after Bento collided with Mitrovic while contesting for the ball.
However, after going to the screen, the referee decided to not award a penalty.
Despite ending the defending champion’s perfect winning run in the league, the result leaves Al Nassr still in third with 19 points, six away from leader Al Hilal and five off Al Ittihad in second.
Comments
SHARE