Cristiano Ronaldo nearly scored a spectacular solo goal! ✨

...for to do that again so imperative they get the win tonight and especially that scoreboard pressure that then... and the added beauty I think of the final weeks... that we're all looking forward to seeing from an El Nasser perspective as you say... seven years since their last Saudi Pro League title... a long wait... and not much to choose between these two in terms of the last five games that they have played at El Nasser's home... each of them have won two each... the other finishing all square and let us not... it's level best to stay on that white line all the way to its eventual destination... yeah it was quite funny Cristiano Ronaldo pointing the way as if to say that's... that's the way you've got to go... if anyone knows his way around these parts it's him... the thing they will want in terms of Al-Hilal... Al-Akhli looking up at them being you know that little bit further away... Al Nasser putting that pressure on... there is Ronaldo inside the Al-Antifa penalty area for the first time but the flag is up the message from the supporters... crush them and they will need to crush all in their path if they want to get their hands on the title again so they don't want to be in a place where that happens again... it's Koeman... Rochelle motoring with some purpose and getting the... towards Dembele and it's well held by Bento... trying to sneak wasn't he between Al-Hambri and Simakam but Al-Hambri did well there just to lean into him put him off balance... well by Duda on the retreat to... Khabari then delivers... here's Brozovic... next taking it off Mane... feeding it in for Ronaldo... can't find the finish it actually wasn't really close to finding the finish... yeah didn't know whether at first it got his angles wrong but i think it's more the connection on the ball because he knows it's a big opportunity for him as well... Chanel Felix is going to set Mane moving... Ronaldo waiting in the middle hopefully Sadio Mane eventually tried to get it to Ronaldo... front post Felix takes it back again and then pops it over the top for Sadio Mane it's off the line it's an excellent piece of defending from him... uses pace on the character this is the earlier opportunity i was talking about why could he steps up there when he does who knows but phenomenal work there you see from Jack Hendry rightly so celebrates it because it's a goal saving header there's no doubt in that defensive back five shape but as we saw earlier with the Dembele chance he's a threat too Mane did hard work and then didn't find the ball for Koeman but he's worked to get it back himself here Kingsley Koeman and Mane's the option and Rodak is the decisive encoder in that left back position yeah as you see when they come back now when they're into a five and he's not naturally wanting to do that it's not even natural wing back he's a wide forward so it's a big ask of him who's on the other side at the moment with Mane obviously in towards Brozovic back to Ronaldo now though a glance up to see what was available to him Koeman trying to nod it down that's Al-Hambri of all people who is feels like a matter of time Koeman has been one of the more lively so far Brozovic swirling it in down by Felix Khatib is saying to Rodak come and get it don't worry about it being a back pass I didn't mean it too far away to Al Nasser hope that they can find something on the break Al-Khaibari's cleanly won the ball the referee was in a great position to see that he's got two options Al-Khaibari he's left it for Mane he's giving it to Ronaldo Ronaldo one for Koeman, Koeman across looking back to Mane that does well to cut that cross out it was a tapping and now down the other end Dembele with a sight of goal and the save from Bento is brilliant go on the counter-attack and that's what I said exactly what they'll do they'll try and frustrate try and get a goal on the counter-attack not even a save a terrible terrible miss from Dembele forgive me because I thought there was some sort of contact from the goalkeeper but Dembele has just fluffed his lines and that's most unlike him and that's Ronaldo Rodak can't hang on to it Koeman will roll it in Al-Atifat with a giant chance to take the lead at one end and immediately they're punished at the other Kingsley Koeman with his first down Nasser goal in the Saudi Pro League for almost two months and the leaders in front well isn't that just football a massive chance at one end and now Nasser going to score at the other but you know what I love about this is that touch there now most players will try and hit that first time get over excited but Koeman keeps his composure knows that the keeper is just going to try and get in front of what he thinks is a shot coming takes it to the side and one of the easiest goals from that point that will score all season but the first bit is really difficult and shows his quality and look what it means to Cristiano Ronaldo to the team and to the fans and what it means to the Saudi Pro League table as well because suddenly Al Nasser throw but I think the home crowd will appreciate the hunger from Felix the attitude to to try and get the ball back quickly was second to none and now they do have the ball back with Ronaldo Al Nasser Ronaldo for two nil over the top not by much the absolute postage stamp trying to find that top right hand corner Duda did just about enough I think to put him off and he just kisses the side of the post but again it's Al Nasser working hard winning the ball in high areas that time it Sadio Mane it's a walker straight to his Portuguese compatriot Ronaldo with Felix Salganam who's had enough of the Al Nasser possession and wants to do something about it came hurtling over from that left wing back position to get involved Simican, Bouchard good challenge by Encota who lives every moment Mane for two nil Rodak with a great stop apparently wasn't a happy man does ever so well there Rodak actually first of all I think comes off his leg and then onto his arm but either way it's a really good save you can see what Ronaldo thinks there he wants it into his path just old cushion and running away with it Chor Shehzouz using every single second that has been allocated to him still trying to get some individual instructions over to who is that now Af Bushel, Marcelo Perozovic there a little tactics board Chor Shehzouz old school yeah I just love how involved he is you can see back to the visitors which they have and they're going to need to do that in the second 45 as well bad Mane the window of opportunity to intercept so 14 straight wins in the Saudi Procabo responding well he's got it again Koeman, Joao Felix with the sharp turn of direction and then he's got it through to Ronaldo and Ronaldo has it taken off his toes so it's a corner it's a good piece of defending actually in terms of that defensive line I think it's too easy for Ronaldo to sneak back in Jack Hendry this time at fault not stepped up with everyone else recovery touch it's wonderful because I think that would have been goal number two for I think with Debele on the end of it but it's back in for Simican and he and Ronaldo were in each other's work like title without losing a single game in the league twice in the 1980s and the ball has come back here but not quite for Manel Tobi yeah it is I think this is an element of Al Nasser wanting to try and get that second goal quite quickly and they're leaving themselves open at times squeezing it through to Ronaldo back it came to Al-Kaibari Hendry stopping it Rodak was already on the plunge anyway and the flag is up little to make the save Amri in the end Felix for Ronaldo, Ronaldo putting it behind Mane Brozovic trying to keep himself on side has he been able to do that Brozovic Ronaldo is standing off him Ronaldo slips and as I think Jack Hendry was asking for from the moment that Al Nasser attack start well I get why Hendry's frustrated although saying that it's probably a lot closer where they should do better today in terms of being a bit more clinical but giving a bad showing of themselves so far Koeman dancing through winning the free kick there is and we mentioned it before the game didn't we Kingsley Koeman that he doesn't always get the only five games in the Saudi Pro League this season where that man has not scored in it has not scored so far tonight Cristiano Ronaldo conjure up unfortunately for him it's not a great deal but he's been presented with a gift to restart the clan has gone to Koeman, Koeman trying to go around the outside of Mkota who's grown into the game in that unfamiliar position yeah he has actually it's just a free kick see Mane there thought it might be that gap for the ball to try and be played through but seems a weird one normally sort of he hits that knuckle ball let's come Ronaldo leaves it, Mane takes it on, Ronaldo wanted it back and he can't find the corner but was that a hand ball by Hendry who lunged his body towards it and he did use his hand because I think that this will be interesting again I think they're trying to do too much here Al Nasser, Sadio Mane I don't know why he doesn't hit it first time of asking let's have a look at this one I think that's really tough looks like it hits the top of the shoulder this will give us a better angle I mean it's traveling so quickly the ball absolutely not I think that'll be overturned it hits Hendry on the chest well what was interesting about that was the the long delay wasn't like the referee gave the decision immediately it's the club badge isn't it the moves yeah you can see by the way the shirt moves it's always awkward when you slow things down but no way it's a penalty I know I tend to agree don't think from that angle that the assistant's best place to give that quite a few of them seem to be in a bad way Ronaldo sizes it up for a moment, Bouchard, Koeman, goal line here's Ronaldo, Koeman look at all the room he's got to advance into Mane trying to keep himself on side there's options the other direction Brozovic one of them and then just wide from Felix whistles past, Brozovic makes the wrong decision here can it just go out to the overlapping run even though Felix is great in those areas it's great from Al Nasser this is the opportunity, see what he's trying to do just curl it back inside the near post but half a yard away Brozovic swirling it in Ronaldo wouldn't have counted anyway got some nearly moments for him tonight this pivotal Saudi pro league game and the ball slipped through for Koeman he's got one tonight already this for another and Hendry doing enough to halt and ultimately well that's not offside I thought he'd timed his run to perfection and that looks to me like he does behind Calvo now that is a phenomenal recovery run Cristiano Ronaldo Al Hamdan who will get a good reception from the home crowd having scored for Saudi Arabia