Cristiano Ronaldo’s close-range finish four minutes into the second half completed a dramatic comeback as Al Nassr recovered from a shock first-half deficit to beat Al Taawoun 2-1 at Alawwal Park and maintain their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season.
Ange Postecoglou’s star-studded side were caught cold in the 11th minute when Bassam Al-Hurayji stabbed home from close range to give the visitors an unexpected lead, but Samu Costa’s stoppage-time equaliser and then Ronaldo’s predatory instincts set them on their way.
Al Nassr had gone into the match as heavy favourites and had made a blistering start to the season, winning each of their three previous league games, but Al Taawoun showed early ambition that unsettled the hosts.
Younes El Bahraoui worked Nawaf Al-Aqidi, the backup goalkeeper standing in for the suspended Bento, inside the opening half hour, and the shock goal came when the visitors worked a neat move down the right and Al-Hurayji arrived to slot home from very close range.
Al Nassr pressed hard for the equaliser and Sadio Mane was the most persistent threat, driving repeatedly at the visiting defence and forcing Mailson into a sharp save.
It took a moment of quality from Samu Costa to restore parity just before the interval. The Portugal midfielder, making only his second start for the club since his summer arrival, received the ball 25 yards from goal from Mane’s lay-off and struck a composed drive into the bottom corner to level in the fifth minute of added time.
Within five minutes of the restart, Mohamed Simakan attacked a corner delivery and turned the ball into Ronaldo’s path inside the six-yard box.
The 41-year-old reacted first and guided the ball high into the net for what proved to be the winner.
Ronaldo was withdrawn in the 80th minute, by which point Al Nassr had already survived a few anxious moments.
Mane struck the left post with Felix’s assist having looked certain to score, while Mailson continued to make himself difficult to beat at the other end.
Al-Taawoun pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages but found no way through against a side that, even on a below-par afternoon, carries enough individual quality to find a way to win.
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