The stakes could not have been higher for the Round 14 highlight of the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League season. As Al Nassr traveled to the home of league leaders Al Hilal, the narrative was clear: a win would reignite the title race, while a loss would likely signal the end of their championship ambitions. Despite a vintage opening half, Al Nassr’s evening descended into a nightmare of disciplinary issues and defensive lapses, resulting in a 1-3 defeat that leaves Cristiano Ronaldo’s side reeling.
Ronaldo Strikes Early Amidst Al Nassr Dominance
Coming off a disappointing result against Al Qadsiah, Al Nassr entered the fray with a palpable sense of urgency. From the first whistle, the visitors looked like the superior side, pressing Al Hilal high up the pitch and dictating the tempo of the game. The first-half statistics told a story of total offensive intent; the yellow-and-green outfit peppered the Al Hilal goal with six shots on target, while the league leaders struggled to register even a single threatening attempt.
The relentless pressure finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute through a sequence of elite quality. Kingsley Coman, a constant threat on the wing, delivered a perfectly weighted through ball into the path of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar made no mistake, unleashing a clinical strike into the top corner to give Al Nassr a deserved lead. It was Ronaldo’s 16th goal of the season across all competitions, and as the teams headed into the tunnel at halftime, it appeared Al Nassr were on the verge of a season-defining victory.
The Turning Point: Penalties And A Red Card
If the first half was a dream for Al Nassr, the second half was a haunting reality check. The momentum shifted drastically in the 57th minute when Mohamed Simakan clumsily brought down Malcom inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot, and the ever-reliable Salem Al Dawsari stepped up to calmly convert the penalty, leveling the score and igniting the home crowd.
However, the true catastrophe struck just minutes later. In a moment of madness, goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi was involved in a violent collision with Ruben Neves. While the referee initially reached for a yellow card, a lengthy VAR consultation followed. The footage revealed conduct deemed excessively violent, leading the official to upgrade the card to a red. Forced to play with ten men for over half an hour against the most clinical team in the league, Al Nassr’s structure began to crumble.
Numerical Advantage And The Final Blows
With a man advantage, Al Hilal seized total control, moving the ball with precision and exhausting the shorthanded Al Nassr defense. The pressure became unbearable, and in the 81st minute, the breakthrough arrived. Following a sustained period of possession, Mohamed Kanno found himself in space near the goalmouth and poked the ball home from close range to put the hosts 2-1 ahead.
Desperate to find an equalizer, Al Nassr pushed forward in the dying minutes, but their aggression led to further defensive vulnerability. In the second minute of stoppage time, a panicked challenge inside the area resulted in another penalty for Al Hilal. Ruben Neves, who had been at the center of the game's most controversial moment, stepped up to seal the result. He buried the penalty with composure, finalizing the score at 3-1 and confirming a miserable night for the visitors.
A Season In Jeopardy
The fallout from this Riyadh Derby is significant. This result marks Al Nassr’s third consecutive defeat, a shocking run of form that has seen them slip seven points behind Al Hilal after just 14 rounds. While the season is far from over, the psychological blow of losing a lead in such a crucial match—combined with the looming suspension of their starting goalkeeper—suggests that the title is Al Hilal’s to lose.
For Cristiano Ronaldo and Arne Slot’s peers in the league, the focus must now shift to an immediate internal reset. If Al Nassr cannot find a way to maintain their concentration for a full 90 minutes, they face the grim prospect of yet another season ending without silverware.