Al Nassr triumphs despite Ronaldo's penalty miss and injury scare

That comeback win will be a morale booster one for Al Nassr in the title push

Last updated: March 01, 2026 | 12:46

Shamseer Mohammed, Staff Writer

That was an important win for Al Nassr in the title race. They have climbed back to the top of the Saudi Pro League after coming from behind to beat Al Fayha 3-1 away from home.

But while the three points were crucial in the title race, it was not a smooth night for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star missed a penalty and later walked off with a possible hamstring injury. All of his fans will be praying that it's nothing serious.

Ronaldo misses from the spot

Al Nassr were handed a golden chance early in the game. In the 11th minute, Mohamed Simakan was brought down inside the box by Mikel Villanueva and the referee pointed to the spot.

Ronaldo stepped up as usual. However, in a rare moment, he dragged his penalty wide of the left post. The miss stunned the crowd and gave Al Fayha hope.

Just before halftime, things got worse for the league leaders. In stoppage time, a low cross from Mohammed Al Baqawi caused confusion inside the box. Defender Abdulelah Al Amri accidentally turned the ball into his own net, giving Al Fayha a surprise 1-0 lead at the break.

Al Nassr fight back after the break

Al Nassr came out with more urgency in the second half and slowly began to take control.

The equaliser arrived in the 72nd minute. Kingsley Coman delivered a precise cross to the far post and Sadio Mané was there to finish calmly and make it 1-1.

Eight minutes later, the momentum completely shifted. Joao Felix fired a powerful shot from distance. The ball hit the post and bounced back onto goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera before going into the net. The own goal gave Al Nassr a 2-1 lead. It seems like things are getting aligned for them to win the title this time.

Ronaldo injury concern as Al Nassr seal win

Soon after the second goal, Ronaldo signalled discomfort in his hamstring. The 41 year old was substituted in the 81st minute, raising concern among fans.

His replacement, Abdullah Al Hamddan, made an immediate impact. In the 85th minute, he finished clinically after being set up by Joao Felix to seal the 3 -1 victory.

Title race heats up

The win takes Al Nassr to 61 points, two clear of Al Ahli at the top of the table.

While the comeback showed character, the focus will now shift to Ronaldo’s fitness. With the season entering its final stretch, Al Nassr will hope their captain’s injury is not serious as they push for the league title. Also, he missed a golden opportunity to take the overall goal tally to 936.

From code to kick-off: Gulf News’ Mohammed Shamsheer spends his weekdays in DevOps and weekends watching football — a proud Chelsea supporter through and through.

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