"Everywhere he goes goals follow him", "One goal without penalty is all I ask" - Al-Nassr fans react as Cristiano Ronaldo scores in win over Al-Ahli
Al-Nassr returned to winning ways thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's 50th goal for the club from the penalty spot in a 1-0 win against Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.
Luis Castro's side came into tonight's (March 15) Saudi Pro League game wounded. They were knocked out of the AFC Champions League after suffering a 4-2 penalty shootout loss to UAE outfit Al-Ain after a 4-4 draw on aggregate.
Al-Nassr's hopes of winning the Saudi Pro League were jeopardized before that by a 4-4 draw against Al-Hazem and a shock 3-1 defeat to Al-Raed. Castro needed a reaction from his troops tonight and he got one but his side were made to work for it.
Al-Ahli nearly took the lead in the 37th minute when former Juventus defender Merih Demiral rattled the crossbar with a header. The Turk met Riyad Mahrez's corner but couldn't find the back of the net.
Cristiano Ronaldo had the ball in the back of the net five minutes later after drilling home from an acute angle. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner peeled away from former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and somehow managed to convert from a tight angle.
However, VAR intervened deeming Sadio Mane to have been offside. The Senegalese superstar had played a role in the build-up to Ronaldo's effort.
Ronaldo endured a frustrating night on Monday (March 11) as Al-Nassr crashed out of the AFC Champions League. He spurned a golden opportunity from three yards out and it was looking to be a similar evening for the legendary forward.
It was Al-Ahli's turn for VAR to deny them the chance of taking the lead in the 57th minute. Roberto Firmino linked up with former Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin and slotted home from close range. But, the goal was overturned as VAR intervened.
Al-Nassr were awarded a penalty in the 67th minute after Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez fouled Saudi midfielder Sami Al-Najei. It was up to Ronaldo to put his side ahead and he made no mistake.
The Saudi Pro League's top scorer sent Mendy the wrong way with an excellent finish into the bottom left corner. It was vital for Castro's side as they looked to put their recent woes behind them.
Al-Ahli had their fair share of chances to try and equalize but resolute defending from Al-Nassr kept them at bay. It was a job well done for the visitors at King Abdullah Sports City and they moved to within nine points of league leaders Al-Hilal.
One fan hailed Ronaldo after he netted his 23rd Saudi Pro League goal of the season:
"C Ronaldo is truly the greatest of all time. Everywhere he goes goals follow him."
Another fan wanted to see the Portugal captain score a goal other than a penalty:
"One goal without penalty is all I ask."
Here's how fans on X (formerly Twitter) reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo firing Al-Alami to victory:
Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to Al-Nassr's victory against Al-Ahli
Cristiano Ronaldo was delighted with Al-Nassr's win against Al-Ahli. The five-time UEFA Champions League winner headed straight for the visiting supporters, punching his fist in celebration after the game.
The win was much needed for the Portuguese icon and his teammates given their difficult spell. There has been a ton of pressure on Castro amid his side's disappointing run of form.
Ronaldo took to Instagram after the game to send a message to fans following the victory against Matthias Jaissle's side:
"Back to winning ways. Let's go team!!"
Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, took his tally for the season to 30 goals and 11 assists in 33 games across competitions. Al-Nassr will next be in action on March 30 when they face Al-Tai in the Saudi Pro League.