On January 13, Round 15 of the Saudi Pro League delivered a highly anticipated Riyadh derby, with Al Nassr visiting league leaders Al Hilal.
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo opening the scoring for the visitors, a series of second-half errors saw Al Nassr fall 1–3, extending their league slump to three consecutive defeats.
A Clash of Giants with the Top Spot at Stake
The match was widely regarded as one of the most important fixtures of the Saudi Pro League season. Al Nassr aimed to close the gap on the summit, while Al Hilal sought to strengthen its lead.
Both sides fielded their star-studded lineups. Al Hilal started with Rúben Neves, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Theo Hernández, Malcom, and Núñez.
Al Nassr responded with Ronaldo, João Félix, Marcelo Brozović, Kingsley Coman, Iñigo Martínez, Mohamed Simakan, and Ângelo Borges.
Ronaldo Strikes as Al Nassr Take the Lead
Statistically, the contest was evenly matched: Al Hilal held 52% possession to Al Nassr’s 48%, while shots stood at 9–8.
In the 21st minute, Coman broke into the box and fired low, only to be denied by the goalkeeper. A minute later, Ronaldo tried his luck from distance, again foiled by a save.
The breakthrough came in the 42nd minute when Coman delivered a difficult pass inside the box, and Ronaldo finished with a powerful volley at close range. Al Nassr went into halftime leading 1–0, with Ronaldo once again proving decisive.
Costly Errors After the Break
The momentum shifted dramatically in the second half. In the 57th minute, Al Nassr’s defense faltered as Simakan fouled Malcom in the penalty area. The referee awarded a penalty, which Salem Al-Dawsari converted to level the score.
Just four minutes later, goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi collided with Rúben Neves while rushing out and was shown a straight red card, leaving Al Nassr a man down. Matters worsened in the 71st minute when Simakan was forced off through injury.
Al Hilal Seals the Win Late On
In the 81st minute, Rúben Neves swung in a cross from the left, and Mohammed Kanno finished from close range to put Al Hilal ahead 2–1. Ronaldo was substituted in the 84th minute.
Deep into stoppage time, a mistake by substitute Ali Al-Hassan led to another penalty, which Rúben Neves calmly converted to make it 3–1 and end the contest.
From Winning Streak to Slump, Title Hopes Fade
At the final whistle, Al Nassr had suffered a 1–3 defeat away to Al Hilal. The result left them with just one draw and three losses in their last four league matches, now trailing Al Hilal by seven points in the standings.
Given Al Hilal’s current consistency, closing the gap appears increasingly difficult. While Ronaldo continues to score, Al Nassr’s defensive instability and overall inconsistency mean his aspiration to lift his first Saudi Pro League title may slip away once again.
