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CRISTIANO RONALDO SCORES BRACE ON RETURN AS FIVE-STAR AL NASSR THRASH AL NAJMA
In an impressive comeback, Cristiano Ronaldo made a significant impact on the field after returning from a month-long injury layoff. He netted two goals in the second half, leading Al Nassr to a commanding 5-2 victory over Al Najma, who currently occupy the last position in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
The iconic Portuguese forward had been sidelined since February, missing Al Nassr’s prior two league matches as well as international friendlies against Mexico and the United States the previous month.
Despite their struggles this season, Al Najma surprised everyone by taking the lead just before halftime with a goal from Rakan Al Tulayhi. However, Al Nassr responded quickly, with goals from Abdullah Al Hamdan and Sadio Mane in first-half stoppage time reversing the game’s momentum.
After the break, Al Najma managed to equalize two minutes into the second half with a strike from Felippe Cardoso. But Al Nassr regained the upper hand when Ronaldo successfully converted a penalty in the 56th minute. He then added another goal in the 73rd minute, concluding his stellar performance, while Mane capped the game off with a strike during stoppage time.
This victory marks Al Nassr’s 13th consecutive win in the league, keeping them firmly at the top of the standings with a total of 70 points, six points ahead of second-placed Al Hilal, who are scheduled to play against Al Taawoun on Saturday.
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