Cristiano Ronaldo blanks as Al Nassr stumble, Gabriel Martinelli and Ollie Watkins deliver for Al Hilal
Al Nassr dropped crucial points in the defence of their Saudi Pro League title as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Al Khaleej on Saturday night. Omar Mascarell gave the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time and the champions needed a 72nd-minute goal from Abdullah Al Hamdan to salvage a point. Cristiano Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes but could not add to his career tally of 979…
Al Nassr suffered a disappointing 1-1 draw against Al Khaleej in their bid to clinch the Saudi Pro League title. Omar Mascarell opened the scoring for Al Khaleej, while Abdullah Al Hamdan salvaged a point for the defending champions in the 72nd minute. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese star, played the entire match but failed to add to his impressive goal tally.
Al Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou expressed his dissatisfaction, attributing the result to fixture congestion due to the early stages of the Asian Cup in January. Meanwhile, Al Hilal showcased their new signings' prowess, securing a convincing 6-0 victory over Al Taawoun. Gabriel Martinelli scored a hat-trick, Ollie Watkins contributed a brace, and Sultan Mandash added a sixth goal.
This win for Al Hilal, who now lead the SPL table with 18 points, came after a surprising 2-0 loss to Neom. The new signings - Crysencio Summerville, Ollie Watkins, and Martinelli - continue to impress as they aim to secure the title. The team will face Al Gharafa in the Asian Champions League next Tuesday.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
