Postecoglou's team won with an omnipresent Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese, who marks his 982nd goal, also had another goal disallowed and a shot to the post. Al Nassr remains at the top of the table fighting with Al Qadsiah, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad for the lead.
2026/2027 Saudi Professional League
1-3
Match Report
Cristiano Ronaldo scored career goal number 982 as Al-Nassr temporarily moved level with Al-Qadsiah at the top of the Saudi Pro League table with a 3-1 win at Al-Faisaly.
Abdullah Al-Hamdan gave Ange Postecoglou’s men the lead in the fourth minute, slotting in to the bottom-right corner from the edge of the area with a fine right-footed strike.
Ronaldo doubled the advantage three minutes into the second half, meeting compatriot Joao Felix’s superb free-kick delivery with a powerful trademark header.
The former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus star then had a second disallowed for offside by VAR, before substitute Theo Bongonda gave Al-Faisaly hope with a close-range header.
But Al-Nassr made the points safe as Al-Hamdan chested Ronaldo’s dinked delivery into the path of Angelo to fire home 11 minutes from time.
Al-Qadsiah are top of the table on goals scored having played a game fewer than Al-Nassr. They face Al-Hilal later on Friday as they look to re-establish a three-point lead. Al-Hilal would go top with a win.
Despite Al-Hamdan's good goal in the fourth minute, with a shot placed from the edge of the area, Al Nassr have a harder time winning this season with Postecoglou than in 2025-26 under Jorge Jesus, when they were champions. Al Faisaly put pressure on CR7'S team, who took time to bring out their best football. Ronaldo barely performed in the first half. The closest chance came after half an hour, from a pass from Joao Félix, with a cross shot that hit the woodwork.
It was however, already in the second half, when Al Nassr 'let go'. And Cristiano Ronaldo began to shine. The Portuguese star scored his 982nd goal with a great header from Joao Felix's measured cross, from a resulting free-kick. It was 0-2. Three minutes later he scored the third on the counterattack but the VAR reviewed the action and rectified Al-Hamdan offside prior to the goal.
The locals had their moment after the entry of the Spaniard Jaime Seoane and the former Celta Theo Bongonda. It was the Belgian, precisely, who in an isolated play made it 1-2 with a header. But Al Nassr had taken the 'tempo' to the match and the game was not going to escape. Fernando Pacheco, got a great save to deny CR7 when the Portuguese was looking for the third of the match. And it was Angelo finally, after a good collective play, who sentenced after the 'cooling break'.
Al Nassr, meanwhile, equals Al Qadsiah in the lead with this victory, waiting for Brendan Rodgers' team to face Al Hilal tonight, who are currently third.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
4' GOAL! Al Faisaly 0-1 Al Nassr FC (Abdullah Al-Hamdan)
16' Match Event for Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
19' Highlight from Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
32' Match Event for Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
41' Highlight from Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
49' GOAL! Al Faisaly 0-2 Al Nassr FC (Cristiano Ronaldo)
52' Match Event for Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
66' GOAL! Al Faisaly 1-2 Al Nassr FC (Théo Bongonda)
68' Match Event for Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
77' Highlight from Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
79' GOAL! Al Faisaly 1-3 Al Nassr FC (Ângelo)
85' Highlight from Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
86' Highlight from Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
90' Match Event for Al Faisaly vs Al Nassr FC
Line-ups
Al Faisaly XI: Mohammed Jahfali, Pacheco, Girotto, A. Mendy, Yaseen Barnawi, Abdoulaye Seck, Abdulaziz Al-Bishi, Flávio, Abdullah Al-Muqrin, Mohammed Al-Shanqiti, Eid Al-Muwallad
Subs: Théo Bongonda, Abdulrahman Al-Shareef, Abdulrahman Al-Safari, Jaime Seoane, Mohammed Al-Hasawi, André-Jordy Ella, Abdullah Bin Subayt, Saud Haddad, Faisal Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Fahad
Al Nassr FC XI: Ronaldo, I. Martinez, Mane, Felix, Abdullah Alkhaibari, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Bento, Samú Costa, Nawaf Boushal, Awad Aman
Subs: Sami Al-Najei, Ayman Yahya, Ângelo, Saad Al-Nasser, Salem Al Najdi, Majed Qasheesh, Hayder Abdulkareem, Saad Haqawi, Abdulhadi Al-Alwan