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Al-Nassr defeated Al-Najma 5-2 at Al-Awwal Park on Friday, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice on his 100th Saudi Pro League appearance as Jorge Jesus’ side moved six points clear at the top. The result put pressure on Al-Hilal, who face Al-Taawon on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from injury and immediately shaped the contest, helping Al-Nassr stretch their lead in the title race. The Portugal forward struck twice after the break, while Sadio Mane also scored twice in a match Al-Nassr largely controlled despite Al-Najma finding two goals of their own.
Al-Nassr dictated much of the first half but fell behind in the 44th minute. Felippe Cardoso led a counterattack with strength and close control before laying the ball into the path of Rakan Al Tulayhi, who finished from the edge of the box to give Al-Najma an unexpected lead.
Al-Nassr responded before the interval and turned the game around in quick succession. Abdullah Al Hamddan equalised for the hosts after Abdulelah Al Amri flicked on Marcelo Brozovic’s cross at the back post, and Mane then drove past three defenders before firing into the top-right corner in first-half stoppage time.
Al-Najma levelled again early in the second half when Cardoso curled home from David Tijanic’s cutback. That restored parity only briefly, as Ronaldo put Al-Nassr back in front from the penalty spot after Abdullah Al Hawsawi was penalised for handball.
Cristiano Ronaldo added his second in the 73rd minute after controlling Nawaf Bu Washl’s low delivery and finishing from close range. The goal was initially disallowed for offside, but a VAR review overturned the decision and confirmed Al-Nassr’s fourth of the night.
Sadio Mane completed the scoring in the 95th minute, arriving to tap in Salem Al Najdi’s cross and seal a convincing victory. The final score reflected Al-Nassr’s sustained attacking pressure and gave the league leaders more room at the top heading into the weekend.
Al-Nassr produced 3.97 expected goals from 24 shots, compared with Al-Najma’s 0.8 from six attempts. That statistical gap underlined the control Al-Nassr maintained for long stretches, even with Al-Najma remaining competitive on the counterattack.
Cristiano Ronaldo accounted for 1.68 of Al-Nassr’s expected goals and finished with a match-high eight shots as well as four big chances. The performance suggested little disruption from his recent injury absence and reinforced his importance to Al-Nassr’s title push.
The milestone was notable beyond the result. Ronaldo’s two goals took him to 97 in 100 Saudi Pro League appearances, leaving him 39 clear of the next-highest scorer in that period, Abderrazzaq Hamed-Allah, who has 58.
Elsewhere in the league on Friday, 10-man Al-Ittihad beat Al-Hazem 1-0. Abdulrahman Al Oboud scored the winner in the second half after Moussa Diaby had been sent off in the 34th minute.