Cristiano Ronaldo scoreless, Al-Nassr unbeaten streak snapped

Al-Nassr’s dominant start to the Saudi Pro League campaign hit a major roadblock on Friday night as their 11-match unbeaten run came to an abrupt halt. In a high-octane encounter at the King Abdullah Sports City, Cristiano Ronaldo’s side suffered their first defeat of the season, falling 3-2 to a resilient Al-Ahli. 

The result leaves Al-Nassr’s position at the summit of the table in significant jeopardy. After a blistering start that saw ten consecutive wins and a draw, the league leaders finally blinked, potentially opening the door for rivals Al-Hilal to leapfrog them into first place by the end of the weekend.

The contest initially looked set for a classic comeback after English forward Ivan Toney struck twice early on to put Matthias Jaissle’s side ahead. Al-Nassr responded with grit, as Abdulelah Al Amri netted a crucial brace to restore parity before the interval, keeping the visiting side’s hopes of a result alive.

However, it was Merih Demiral who proved the hero for the Jeddah-based outfit. The Turkish international secured the winner in the 55th minute, a blow that left a scoreless Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates unable to find a third equalizer despite late pressure.

Attention now shifts to second-placed Al-Hilal, who trail the leaders by just two points with a game in hand against Damac on Sunday. For Al-Nassr, this rare lapse in concentration serves as a stern reminder that the race for the Saudi crown in 2026 will be a marathon, not a sprint.