Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr endured a difficult start to 2026, struggling to find form in the opening matches of the Saudi Pro League. However, the team finally tasted victory in their fourth fixture of the year, edging past Al Shabab 3-2 at Al Awwal Park on Saturday night. The match saw unusual contributions from both sides, with two own goals adding drama, but ultimately it was Al Nassr who celebrated at the final whistle.
The game began at a frenetic pace. Just two minutes in, Al Nassr took the lead when Al Shabab defender Saad Yasslam inadvertently turned João Félix’s low cross into his own net. The early advantage energised the home crowd, and six minutes later, Kingsley Coman doubled the lead with a spectacular overhead kick from another Félix assist, bringing the score to 2-0. At this stage, it appeared Al Nassr were set for a comfortable victory.
Yet Al Shabab fought back resolutely. In the 31st minute, they pulled a goal back through a misdirected clearance by Al Nassr’s defender Mohamed Simakan, following a precise cross from Hammam Al Hammami. The game was far from over.
The second half saw Al Shabab adopt an even more attacking approach. Midfielder Yannick Carrasco orchestrated play from the middle of the park and set up Carlos Junior, who calmly slotted home to level the match at 2-2. With momentum seemingly on their side, Al Shabab were hoping to snatch a win, but a crucial turning point came when Vincent Sierro was shown a red card for a late challenge on Coman, reducing them to ten men.
Al Nassr capitalised on their numerical advantage. In the 76th minute, a shot from Wesley was blocked, but the rebound fell to Abdulrahman Gharib, whose effort deflected off a defender into the net, securing the victory. This marked Ronaldo’s team’s first triumph of the year.
Following this result, the league table stands as follows:
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Hilal | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| Al Nassr | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 34 | 2 |
| Al Shabab | 15 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 15 |
With this hard-fought victory, Al Nassr climb to second place, four points behind league leaders Al Hilal, who have one game in hand. Meanwhile, Al Shabab remain 15th with 11 points.
