Cristiano Ronaldo on an ungrateful day made Al-Nassr pay dearly when Aleksandar Mitrovic equalized in the 10th minute of extra time to preserve Al-Hilal’s unbeaten streak in the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo ‘s wastefulness in the match this morning (May 18) caused Al-Nassr to lose the opportunity to become the first team to defeat Al-Hilal in the national championship when the two sides drew 1-1.
Al-Nassr started the match with enthusiasm when Otavio scored a beautiful long-range shot to beat goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in the 22nd second. Al-Nassr continued to dominate the first half against Al-Hilal, however, Ronaldo’s incompetence prevented the home team from doubling the gap early. At least the Portuguese superstar missed two opportunities to face Bounou’s goal.
The first situation took place in the 27th minute. Ronaldo received a favorable cross from his teammate on the right wing. In a comfortable position, Ronaldo shot incorrectly, causing the ball to sadly deviate from its trajectory.
Entering the second half, Al Hilal seemed to change. They played more offensively, but Al Nassr still played very focused with a defensive counter-attack. While the away team was still busy searching for an equalizer, Ronaldo once again had a chance.
Ronaldo’s 80th minute miss
In the 80th minute, in an exemplary counterattack, Ronaldo continued to receive the ball smoothly in the penalty area. This time the Portuguese superstar’s shot hit the goal, but Bounou’s excellence made Ronaldo hold his head in regret.
The cruelty of football came to Al Nassr in injury time after Sadio Mane was awarded a penalty for an elbow foul. After a long VAR check, the penalty was awarded to Al-Hilal. Aleksandar Mitrovic’s goal in the 90+10′ minute helped Al Hilal earn 1 point and continue to maintain their 32-match unbeaten record. Al Hilal is aiming for the feat of becoming the first unbeaten champion in the Saudi Pro League.
Al-Nassr will end their campaign this season with matches against Al-Riyadh and Al-Ittihad before meeting Al-Hilal again in the King Cup of Champions final. This will be a great opportunity for Ronaldo to find a way to score against his worst team in Saudi Arabia.