Al Nassr 4-1 Al Riyadh Highlights: Cristiano Ronaldo scores and assists for Saudi Pro League side

Al Nassr piles more misery on Riyadh, with Ghanam delivering a cross from the right. Ronaldo attracts two defenders towards him, releasing Talisca, who finds his second goal of the night with a clinical header.

The story of this match has been dominated by Al Nassr overloading the Riyadh half with its attacks but second half substitutions have added some fire for the visitors, thanks to Gray’s goal. 

Ghareeb makes a run along the left, waits for Ronaldo to release the ball, and then sets him up. Ronaldo shoots just off-target. 

Ronaldo tries to make a run along the flanks and almost gets a long ball when Asiri runs in to clear the ball and catches Ronaldo on the follow-up. The Portuguese forward goes down clinching his shin. 

Sadio Mane makes a run along the right flank this time and lobs a ball for Ronaldo, who fails to keep the ball on target. However, the linesman raises the flag for off-side.

Otavio makes a solo run from the midfield, with the ball stuck to his feet. Musona tries to stop him but fails as the Portuguese barges into the box. Toure finally catches up on him but Otavio still shoots, with the ball ending up in the side-net.

Al Nass’s defence is now being tested really well with Lajami forcing out a corner. A goal from here for Riyadh can change the way things are but Laporte’s clearance makes sure the hosts remain in control. 

Andre Gray and Juanmi look to combine in the final third for Riyadh after the visitors get the ball into the final third. Gray’s cross is overshot as Nassr tracks back on time.

The match looks to have taken a new shape here, after the substitution of Gray. He is making forward runs with every long ball, forcing Al Nassr to keep its lower block alert.

Al Riyadh attacks on the counter, with Juanmi setting up substitute Andre Gray. The former Watford and Burnley forward finishes expertly past Nawaf to end the chance of a clean sheet for the hosts.

Sadio Mane gets the cross from the right, waits to release the ball on time and delivers a low cross for Talisca, who guides the ball home with his first touch.

Ronaldo gets the ball in the final third, beats his marker and then delays a shot, as he was in an off-side position. He tries to set-up Talisca, whose shot is off-target.

The Portuguese pair is at it again. Otavio dribbles into the box and tries to set up Ronaldo, who is just short of reaching the ball for a short on target.

Campana looks to be struggling with his fitness after the clash with Mane and has been forced to walk out of the game. Najjar replaces him close to the hour mark.

Al Nassr is maintaining a high-line and that catches Al-Abbas unaware and he rules himself off-side to end another chance for Riyadh to cause problems for Al Nassr.

Al Nassr tries the long ball approach with Brozovic delivering a long ball for Mane, who collides with Campana to end that attack and Riyadh gets a free-kick.

Riyadh tries to shift gears after restart with Rashidi making a forward run. However he gets caught in the off-side trap to end that attack.

An all-round performance by Cristiano Ronaldo, with a goal and an assist, sees the host Al Nassr stay two goals ahead at the break.

Cristiano Ronaldo marches into the box with the ball, side-steps a defender and then flicks it to the centre as Otavio rushes in. The Portuguese midfielder heads the ball into the net, past Campana.

Al Riyadh catches the hosts naping with Rashidi playing in a lofted ball for Saleh Al-Abbas, who curls the ball past Nawaf to score. It is then that the linesman douses his celebration with a raised flag.

Another cross from Mane and another header by Ronaldo. The routine looks so very well-practised before the game that Riyadh has no answer to something which has come thrice in the game so far.

Fortunately, for the visitors, the header is off-target.

’Mane makes a run along the left flak, tries to aim a cross for Ronaldo by Shuwayyi keeps his footing in spot to deny Mane any space and concedes a corner. The attack finally ends when Otavio shoots off-target, with a pass after the corner is played in.

Al Riyadh looks to have come into the match with the sole purpose of parking the bus, with hardly any attacking run by it. Al Nassr, on the other hand, has knocked on the doors of its opposition almost every couple of minutes.

Riyadh looks to be chasing shadows as Al Nassr tries to drag its opponent out of its half with small back-passes. Almost immediately, Nassr attacks, with Fofana, Mane and Talisca in the box but Campana gloves the ball to end that development.

Mane delivers a similar cross in the very next minute and this time the Portugal legend does not miss with a studded shot into the net and the flag stays down.

Mane continues to keep the left flank perennial of atacks, with yet another cross and this time a towering Ronaldo meets it with his head but fails to keep it on target.

Mane makes a run along the left flank and crosses to his right for Laporte, who fails to meet it well enough for a goal and another chance goes begging for the hosts.

While the first one is blocked for another corner, the second one has Brozovic sailing in the ball and the header is saved wonderfully by Campana to deny a certain goal.

Shuwayyi’s defensive error lets Ahmed win the ball, who tries to get it to Mane. But the final shot ends in a corner.

Talisca and Ronaldo try to play out a practice ground routine, with the former passing the ball to Ronaldo, who tries to shoot on target but his shot hits one of the red shirts.

Talisca tries to side-step the defence and enter the box but is fouled by Asiri. The hosts appeal for a penalty but the referee gives a free-kick right in front of the box.

This time Ronaldo takes the free-kick himself. His bullet of a shot beats the wall but is somehow saved by Campana and then cleared by Toure.

Otavio tries to dance past the defence and Fahad Al Rashidi gets him with a late challenge. He gets into the book right away.

Al Nassr gets a free-kick as Otavio is fouled in front of the box. Ronaldo steps up to take the free-kick but then leaves it for Talisca, whose right-footed curler hits the wall.

The referee has a look at the monitor and then does not give a goal. What a defensive effort by the Mali midfielder!

Al Nassr gets a corner which is taken by Brozovic. The Croat passes to Otavio, who crosses for Ronaldo. The Portuguese, lands the ball well on his feet, wait and then shoots on target. Though Toure looks to have cleared it, it is being checked by VAR.

After a VAR check, the referee chooses to go and have a look on the monitor.

Ghanam makes a run along the right flank set up Fofana, who shoots right at Campana to force a reflex save by the visiting keeper.

Brozovic, Mane and Otavio try to drag Riyadh out of its penalty box, but the final cross from Ghanam is cleared by Riyadh, which looks to have chosen the defensive approach against its higher-placed opponent.

Riyadh gets a chance from the set-piece with a corner kick. Nassr’s defence clears it with an attempt to attack against the run of play. Khalid Bin Shuwayyi tries to stop Mane’s run and ends up getting booked.

Al Nassr’s attack is forcing Riyadh to stay in its own half as Men in White march in numbers, desperate to draw first blood.

Al Nassr starts the match on the offensive with Ronaldo starting the counter attack. He gets the ball to Fofana, who crosses to Talisca. Talisca sets up Mane, whose shot into the net is ruled out for off-side.

The match begins! Al Nassr starts from left to right while Riyadh FC starts from the other end. Thehosts start in their white kit while Riyadh is in red.

The players walk out of the tunnel and line-up for the anthem. Talisca, Mane and Otavio will pull strings in attack while Ronaldo will play the role of a sole striker.

Al Nassr: W W D L D

Al Riyadh: L L D W D

Campana - Khaibari, Asri, Arslanagic, Shuwayyi - Toure, Rashidi - Al-Dossary, Ndong, Shehri - Al-Abbas

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will look to resume its pursuit to win its first Saudi Pro League title when it plays Al Riyadh at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on Friday.

Al Nassr suffered its first loss since August to its arch-rival Al Hilal and has struggled for form lately, with two draws and a loss in its last three games. Against a side placed 11 spots below it in the league table, it will look to improve that at home.

Nassr will miss its full-backs Alex Telles and Nawaf Al-Boushail, who are both out injuries. The team, on the other hand, will expect its captain Ronaldo to get back on the scoresheet.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who had a goal contribution in every match for Al Nassr since October, has failed to impress in the last two matches.