Ronaldo’s magic falls short as Al-Raed hold Al-Nassr for draw

Al-Nassr were denied victory by Sanyoor's heroic saves and a costly penalty in Roshn Saudi Professional League opener

Al-Nassr faced disappointment in their first Roshn Saudi Professional League match against Al-Raed, where the performance of goalkeeper Mshari Sanyoor played a pivotal role on Thursday. Despite a strong start, Cristiano Ronaldo’s opening goal was not enough to secure the victory.

Ronaldo put Al-Nassr ahead with a header, his 22nd goal of 2024, following a well-placed cross from Sadio Mané. However, Al-Raed equalised after Aymeric Laporte conceded a penalty, which was converted by Al-Raed captain Mohamed Fouzair.

Throughout the match, Al-Nassr struggled to assert dominance. The first half was evenly contested, with Al-Raed threatening to upset Luis Castro’s side, even having a goal ruled out for offside in the 17th minute. Ronaldo’s goal gave Al-Nassr a much-needed boost, but the team’s defensive errors in the second half cost them dearly. Laporte’s foul in the box provided Al-Raed with a penalty opportunity, which Fouzair calmly converted to level the match.

Mshari Sanyoor was the standout performer for Al-Raed, delivering a near-flawless performance. He made key saves, including a crucial stop against Mané in the 60th minute and another against Laporte late in the game. His efforts ensured that Al-Raed walked away with a point, frustrating Al-Nassr's efforts to secure their first win of the season.

Al-Nassr did have a chance to regain the lead when Ronaldo found the back of the net again in the 75th minute after a precise pass from Marcelo Brozović. However, the goal was ruled out for offside after a review, further compounding Al-Nassr's frustrations. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t break down Al-Raed's resilient defence.

This disappointing result adds to the pressure on Luis Castro’s men, who were looking to bounce back after their 4-1 loss to Al Hilal in the Diriyah Super Cup final last week.

Al-Nassr, last season’s league runners-up, are now facing growing scrutiny as they seek to regain their winning form.

Al-Raed, under new coach Odair Hellmann, were able to build on their previous success against Al-Nassr, having defeated them 3-1 at home last season.

As the new season unfolds, Al-Nassr will need to quickly overcome these setbacks and rediscover their form if they hope to challenge for the title once again.

The league resumed after its last match on 27 May, when Al Hilal secured the championship in the final round of the previous season.

Al Nassr, last season’s runner-up and a three-time league champion, started the new campaign on uncertain footing after a heavy 4-1 loss to rivals Al Hilal in the Diriyah Super Cup final. This was followed by the resignation of club president Ibrahim Al-Muhaideb on Tuesday, just two months after his election.

Coach Luís Castro continues to lead Al Nassr, with the squad seeing few changes except for the addition of Brazilian goalkeeper Bento Matheus and left-back Salem Al-Najdi from Al Fateh.

Conversely, Al Raed has appointed Brazilian coach Odair Hellmann, previously with Al Riyadh, and signed Saleh Al-Amri and Zakaria Hawsawi from Al Ittihad. Notably, Al Raed, along with their neighbours Al Taawoun, were the only teams to defeat Al Nassr at home last season, with Al Raed winning 3-1 and Al Taawoun securing a 2-0 victory.