US Monastir 1-4 Al Nassr Highlights: Cristiano Ronaldo sets new record with goal in Arab Club Champions Cup, King Salman Cup news

A slip-up in defence saw Al Nassr miss the clean sheet but a controlled performance by Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. saw the side earn its first win in the King Salman Club Cup.

Aliwi, who has been subbed on at half-time gets his name on the scoresheet as Al Nassr thrash Monastir 4-1.

Ronaldo heads the corner on target but after a save Amri strikes it into the net to widen the lead. The contest looks over.

The tempo of the match has suddenly shifted to Al Nassr. The team that was looking slippery after conceding the own goal is back on its feet and is looking for another goal now.

Ghanam whips in a cross from the right for Ronaldo and the Portuguese legend makes no mistake to stick his head out and rattle the net with a clinical header. Al Nassr is ahead again.

Ronaldo gets the ball up the pitch and then flicks it to his left for Ghareeb who shoots on target. But Yeddes somehow keeps his gloves stuck to it to deny the lead to Al Nassr.

Monastir catches Al Nassr napping again and this time Zied Aloui breaches the defence with a run behind the defence. Though he shoots in goal past the keeper, the linesman had the flag raised.

Yeddes has an instant impact with a long kick which Lajami tries to clear but ends up heading into his own goal.

Said, who has been very impressive with Monastir is forced to leave the ground with an injury following the clearance 14 minutes ago. S. Yeddes replaces him in goal.

Cristiano Ronaldo tries to set up Fofana in the midfield but the Ivorian goes to the ground appealing for a free-kick as he feels he was fouled from behind. But the referee rules play-on.

Al Nassr’s commander-in-chief in the midfield has been Marcelo Brozovic. The Croat has shown why exactly was Barcelona had him in its shortlist and why he became a crucial piece of Inter Milan’s puzzle in its journey to win the Scudetto.

Traore gets a through ball and makes an attempt to equalise but Alaqidi is there to get the ball in his gloves safely and keep the slender lead intact.

Fofana gets the ball along the right flank after covering the pitch across the midfield but his whipped in cross is cleared by the opponent.

Talisca tries to start another attack but his final pass is intercepted by Monastir as the boys in blue avoid another attack in a contest where they have looked second-best.

A gorgeous through ball by Madu into the final third of Monastir and just as Al Nassr try to get to it, Said intercepts to act as the perfect sweeper keeper to clear the ball. However, the goalkeeper hurts himself in the process.

Ronaldo comes very close to scoring after a run behind the defence but Said makes a good save as Al Nassr remains just one goal ahead.

Al Nassr starts the second half with one change! In: Abdulaziz Al Aliwa , Out: Khalid Al Ghanna

Talisca’s strike keeps Al Nassr ahead in this King Salman Club Cup in Saudi Arabia as the team looks for its first win in the tournament this season.

Monastir almost equalises. Traore gets a cross from his left but before he could connect in front of the goalkeeper in the centre, Al Nassr’s defence clears it away.

Talisca puts Al Nassr ahead! Brozovic delivers a long cross for Ghareeb on his left and the winger draws the defence towards him to release Talisca and then passes it to the Brazilian who strikes it home.

Al Nassr is clearly the side enjoying more possession but it has nothing to show for it so far. The only bright blips for it has been the inspiring midfield performances of Fofana and Brozovic.

Ronaldo tries a quick attack with small passes in the final third but he feels he was pulled back and appeals for a free-kick in front of the box. The referee, however, is not interested as the play goes on.

Fofana carries the ball up the pitch, spreads it to Brozovic, who then passes it to Telles. Telles gives flashes of his link up with Ronaldo with a whipped in cross but Othmane heads it away.

Fofana gets a long ball for Ronaldo but Said, Monastir’s goalkeeper gets to it first and then the SOAT rules Ronaldo off-side. A goal there would not have been counted anyway.

Monastir’s tries a counter attack with Traore playing a one-two with Jbeli but it is Brozovic who is there to steal possession back and get Al Nassr’s attack going again.

Cristiano Ronaldo tries a bicycle kick off a cross from the left but this own, just like the one against Celta Vigo, flies off-target.

Al Nassr’s gameplay has been continuous counter attack with Talisca and Ronaldo making runs behind the defence but so far, the breakthrough has not come.

Ronaldo gets a long ball from the right flank. However, he is immediately surrounded as he cuts back to set up Telles who shoots just off-target.

Yassine in a bid to clear the ball ends up conceding a foul against Cristiano Ronaldo. The referee has a chat with the Monastir player and allows play to resume with a quick free-kick.

Jbeli tries a run from the midfield to catch Al Nassr on the counter but Brozovic fouls him down for a free-kick to Monastir.

Mhirssi tries to attack on the counter for Monastir but Al Nassr has all its men in position and the team is forced back. Seconds later, Traore tries to breach the defence again and Madu denies him a chance to score.

Fofana and Talisca try to combine in the final third but Monastir’s defence gets to it right on time to deny a certain chance to Al Nassr.

It is the pair of Fofana and Brozovic which is keeping the attack up the pitch. The Ivorian has been very impressive so far with Brozovic trying a long ball up the pitch for Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s side has strengthened its midfield significantly this season, with the signings of Seko Fofana and Marcelo Brozovic. Fofana was the captain of Ligue 1 side RC Lens, which will play in the Champions League next season while Brozovic joined after finishing as the Champions League runner-up last season.

Talisca tries to start another attack from the left wing, we makes an attempt to dribble past his marker but trips to fall down and no free-kick is awarded.

Early chance for Al Nassr! Fofana, who made a recent switch from Ligue 1, delivers a through ball for Ronaldo but the Monastir goalkeeper gets to it first to clear the danger.

The King Salman Champions Cup match between Monastir and Al Nassr begins with both sides starting in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

The stadium is set and the fans continue their cheers as the TIFOs of both clubs are revealed on the field. The players are ready in the dugout and walk out on to the ground.

Al Nassr starts in yellow while Monastir starts in blue.

Ben Said, Soltani, Zegui, Othmane, El Welly, Dridi, Sarr, Jbeli, Baccar, Traore, Mhirssi

Cristiano Ronaldo’s side Al Nassr will look to return to winning ways when it faces Tunisian side US Monastir at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Al Nassr has failed to secure a win in its last five games and has suffered damaging losses to Celta Vigo and Benfica with a 0-5 and 1-4 scoreline, respectively.

Ronaldo, too, is yet to find the net this season, with the 38-year-old coming closest to scoring with an off-target overhead kick from an offside position against Vigo.

However, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has expressed his views on the Saudo Pro League, calling it more competitive than the Major League Soccer.

He told to Lisbon sports newspaper A Bola, “Returning to Europe, for me, is a closed possibility, I’m already 38 1/2 years old and... it’s not worth it.”

“Europe lost a lot of quality. The only one that is one of the best is the Premier League, the Spanish league lost its level, the Portuguese one is not ‘top,’ the German one also lost a lot of quality. The USA? No, the Saudi championship is much better than the USA.”

Ronaldo, in his debut season in the Saudi Pro League, following his exit from Manchester United, has failed to win the league title so far and will hope to better his reputation here with an early silverware this season, the Arab Club Champions Cup.