Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr saw their title ambitions all but fade on Friday after falling to Al Orubah. The defeat leaves them on 47 points, while Karim Benzema's Al Ittihad sit at the top with 56, with a game still to play on Sunday.

Despite fielding both Ronaldo and Colombian forward Jhon Duran, Stefano Pioli's side delivered a poor performance, with defensive lapses and an overall lack of intensity allowing a bold Al Orubah to take control.

Al Nassr struggled throughout the first half, moving the ball too slowly and giving the hosts far too much space. Al Orubah, solid in defence and surprisingly comfortable going forward, capitalised on their opponents' lacklustre play.

The visitors' sluggish attack—registering just one shot on target—was matched by defensive complacency. In the 40th minute, a loose ball in the box fell perfectly for Syrian striker Omar Al-Somah, who fired home a stunning volley to give Al Orubah the lead. The goal marked his 149th in the Saudi Pro League, extending his record as the competition's all-time top scorer ahead of Moroccan forward Abderrazak Hamdallah (142).

A half-time team talk from Pioli sparked a reaction, and Al Nassr came out stronger after the break. Their improved tempo was rewarded almost immediately as Bu Washl finished off a counterattack in the 51st minute to level the score.

However, their resurgence was short-lived. In the 65th minute, Icelandic midfielder Johann Gudmundsson produced a spectacular strike into the top corner—one of the goals of the season—to stun Al Nassr and seal the win for Al Orubah. The visitors failed to mount a late response, leaving their title challenge hanging by a thread.

February 28, 2025

Nawaf Boushal

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