Al-Nassr's Wild Ride: A 3-2 Win Without Ronaldo
Okay, so Al-Nassr pulled off a crazy 3-2 win against Damac in the Saudi Pro League. But let's be honest, the biggest talking point wasn't the actual game – it was Cristiano Ronaldo's absence. The whole thing was a rollercoaster, a nail-biter right to the very end, keeping Al-Nassr's hopes of a top-two finish alive. But seriously, where *was* Ronaldo?
A Game That Had It All
The match at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City was wild. I mean, wild. Damac actually scored first – a bizarre own goal, if I'm being honest. It felt like one of those moments where you just stare at the screen, dumbfounded. But Al-Nassr's Aymeric Laporte quickly evened things up. Then Ali Al-Hassan put them ahead after the break. Just when you thought it was all over, Nicolae Stanciu popped up with a stunning equalizer. Honestly, who saw that coming? And then, in the 94th minute – ninety-fourth minute! – Sultan Al-Ghannam smashed one in to win it for Al-Nassr. The home crowd went absolutely bonkers.
So, Where Was Ronaldo?
Right, the elephant in the room. Everyone was speculating: injury? Suspension? Was he off partying somewhere exotic? Turns out, it was a tactical decision by manager Stefano Pioli. With a massive AFC Champions League quarter-final against Yokohama Marinos on the horizon, Pioli decided to rest Ronaldo. He's prioritizing the Champions League, which is totally understandable. Plus, Sadio Mané was suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, prompting a formation shift to 4-3-3, leaving Jhon Duran to lead the attack.
Al-Nassr's Title Hopes Still Alive
This win pushed Al-Nassr up to 60 points, just two behind Al-Hilal in second place. With five games left, they're still very much in the running for a top-two finish. But Al-Ahli, who also won 3-2, are hot on their heels. To be honest, Al-Nassr's xG of 1.08 suggests they were pretty lucky. They were clinical, for sure, but didn't exactly dominate the game. Some fans weren't happy with Jhon Duran's performance in Ronaldo's absence – he didn't quite step up to the mark. But hey, a win's a win, right?
Looking Ahead: Champions League Calling
With Ronaldo rested and ready, Al-Nassr will be hoping to carry this momentum into their crucial Champions League clash against Yokohama F. Marinos. The Saudi Pro League title race is tighter than ever. Al-Nassr needs to keep up this level of grit and determination if they want to achieve their ambitions. It's going to be a thrilling finish!
