Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nasr suffered unexpected setbacks as a 2-0 lead was squandered to end in a 2-2 draw with lowly Abha.
Surprisingly, Al Nasr looked set to take all three points, with Ottavio and Talisca making it 2-0 within the first half hour of play. However, Abha pulled off a stunning comeback, first through Saad Bouqir’s penalty and then through an impressive stoppage-time strike from Karl Toko Ekambi.
The frustration was palpable, with former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo walking away visibly disappointed as his side let victory slip from their hands. After Abha equalized the score, Sultan Ganan was shown a red card, adding insult to injury. Al Nasr also has famous players such as Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte and Alex Telles in his squad.
Meanwhile, in another exciting match, Franck Kessie’s brilliant left-footed volley from inside the box helped Al Ahli win 1-0 in the Jeddah derby against Al-Ittihad. . The former Barcelona man’s goal had a major impact, not only helping the team to victory but also shaking up the top spot in the league. The Etihad missed the chance to take top spot.
The game was star-studded, with Karim Benzema returning to the Etihad starting lineup, joined by Fabinho and N’Golo Kante. Instead, the winning team boasted Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez.
The Saudi Professional League continues to bring exciting moments and unexpected results, making it an exciting competition for football lovers. It remains to be seen how Al Nasr responds to their disappointment in Abha.