Some nights in football just feel special, don't they. Last night at Al-Awwal Park was one of them. We witnessed Al-Nassr continue their flawless march through the Saudi Pro League season, but the real story was the incredible finish. In the final moments of a commanding 4-1 victory against Al-Khaleej, Cristiano Ronaldo produced a moment of pure magic that had the whole stadium on its feet.
Key Highlights
- ✓ Cristiano Ronaldo scored a spectacular bicycle kick in the 90+6' minute to seal the win.
- ✓ Al-Nassr maintained their perfect start to the 2025/26 season with a dominant 4-1 win over Al-Khaleej.
- ✓ It was their ninth win in nine games, taking their goal tally to an impressive 30 for the season.
- ✓ Joao Felix was a key player, scoring one goal and providing a decisive assist.
- ✓ Both Ronaldo and Felix are now joint top scorers in the Saudi Pro League with 10 goals each.
A First Half of Frustration and Flair
From the first whistle, you could feel the confidence from Jorge Jesus' Al-Nassr side. They came out with clear dominance, besieging the Al-Khaleej goal and looking to extend their perfect record. It almost felt inevitable that a goal was coming, and Ronaldo was at the heart of it all from the get-go, hungry to develop his mark. Market evidence demonstrates that
As early as the fourth minute, he unleashed a long-range attempt that just dragged wide. Not long after, a brilliant ball from Sadio Mane found him inside the six-yard box, but Al-Khaleej's keeper, Anthony Moris, pulled off a spectacular reflex save. You got the sense it was going to be one of those nights for Ronaldo, full of near misses. The frustration mounted when, in the 33rd minute, Joao Felix thought he'd broken the deadlock, only for VAR to intervene.
After a lengthy check, the goal was chalked off for a handball by Marcelo Brozovic in the buildup. It was a tough pill to swallow, and for Brozovic, it was a moment in a rare off-night for the Croatian midfielder. He looked out of sorts and was lucky not to see a second yellow for the incident.
The Portuguese Duo Lights Up Riyadh
After the VAR disappointment, Al-Nassr didn't have to wait long for their breakthrough, and it came from the man who was already lighting up the pitch: Joao Felix. A wonderful cross from Angelo landed perfectly at his feet, and with a deft touch, he found the back of the net. The relief and joy were palpable around the stadium.
But Felix wasn't done. Just minutes later, his eager pressing forced a mistake inside the Al-Khaleej box, winning the ball back for his team. He then laid it off for Wesley, who unleashed a superb strike to double Al-Nassr's lead. In the space of a few minutes, Felix had a goal and his first assist of the season, cementing his status as the main man of the match.
It truly was the "Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo show" once again, as both Portuguese internationals are driving this team forward. That goal was Felix’s 10th of the season, bringing him level with his legendary teammate at the top of the scoring charts. You can see the chemistry and friendly rivalry pushing them both to new heights.
A Second Half Twist and a Red Card
Coming out for the second half with a two-goal deficit against the league's best defense is an uphill battle, to say the least. But Al-Khaleej gave themselves a glimmer of hope just one minute after the restart. Murad Al Hawsawi struck a perfect shot that halved Al-Nassr's lead, suddenly making the game feel a lot more competitive.
The visitors started pumping up the pressure, testing keeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi on multiple occasions. However, Al-Nassr's quality shone through. It was Sadio Mane who delivered the finishing blow to Al-Khaleej's comeback hopes, scoring with a beautiful lobbed curler to restore the two-goal cushion. From there, things went from bad to worse for the visitors. Dimitrios Kourbelis, who had already missed a chance, had a moment of madness with a horrific stamp on Ali Al-Hassan, earning him a straight red card. It was a completely crazy finale. Recent reports indicate that
The Grand Finale: A Goal for the Ages
And then, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, with the game already won, we got the moment everyone will be talking about for weeks. This was the goal Cristiano Ronaldo was missing in Saudi Arabia, the one that truly announced his timeless greatness on this stage. Nawaj Boushal floated a cross in from the right wing, and you could see Ronaldo positioning himself, his eyes locked on the ball.
What followed was pure athletic poetry. What's particularly interesting is He launched himself into the air, connecting perfectly with an acrobatic bicycle kick. It was a thing of beauty, powerful and precise. Goalkeeper Moris got a hand to it, a testament to the shot's force, but there was no stopping it. The ball hit the back of the net, and the stadium erupted.
This wasn't just another goal; it was his 10th of the season, his 955th goal in a legendary career, and a strike that was instantly described as being "reminiscent of the one in Turin. " It was the perfect, most spectacular way to cap off the night and send a message to the rest of the league: Al-Nassr are the team to beat, and their superstar is still capable of the impossible.
Conclusion
When the final whistle blew, the 4-1 scoreline reflected a dominant performance, securing Al-Nassr's ninth consecutive win and cementing their spot at the top of the table. While Joao Felix's goal and assist were instrumental, the night will forever be defined by that final, breathtaking moment from Cristiano Ronaldo. It was a festival of goals, and he saved the best for last, reminding everyone why he is one of the greatest to ever play the game.
