Portuguese Duo Propels Al-Nassr to Saudi Pro League Summit
25 October 2025
Match Summary
Al-Nassr extended its lead at the top of the Roshan Saudi Pro League with a 2-0 victory away to Al-Hazm on Saturday evening, closing out the sixth round.
With six wins from six, the Riyadh giants rose to 18 points, extending their perfect start and surpassing their own best winning streak in league history.
The goals came from the Portuguese duo: Joao Felix headed in from close range in the 25th minute after a cross from Ayman Yahya, and Cristiano Ronaldo sealed the win in the 88th minute after a rapid counter-attack finished by a Wesley-assisted pass.
Al-Nassr started with intent, pressing Hazm high and creating several chances. A first-half flurry saw Kingsley Coman test the keeper in the second minute and a Mohamed Cimakan header that went narrowly wide in the eighth.
Hazm, well-organized and stubborn, produced a number of alerts of their own as Nawaf Al Aqidi and the defense held firm, and Varilla made a series of fine saves to keep it 1-0 at the break.
Key Moments
In the 12th minute, Sadio Mane avoided a red card after a heavy challenge on a Hazm defender; the VAR check confirmed a yellow card rather than a dismissal.
In the 15th minute, Fabio Martinez of Hazm had their first clear attempt, saved by Nawaf Al Aqidi. Ronaldo nearly doubled the lead in the 18th, curling a shot that Varilla parried.
The 22nd minute brought another promising chance for Mane, but the Senegal forward's attempt drifted wide amid heavy pressing from the visitors.
Felix then earned his second major moment, leaping to meet a left-sided cross and guiding the ball into the far corner in the 25th minute, a strike that left Varilla with little chance.
The rest of the half saw Nassr maintain control, and they carried a 1-0 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, the pace eased slightly as Nassr protected the advantage, but Ronaldo delivered the coup de grace in the 88th minute, finishing a fast counter after a Wesley pass to push the result to 2-0.
That goal also moved Ronaldo closer to the 1,000-goal milestone, with his career tally standing at 950 at that moment.
Upcoming Clasico
The sequence of results makes the upcoming clasico against Al-Ittihad in the King Cup Round of 16 even more significant for both teams, with Jorge Jesus aiming to sustain a perfect campaign across the league, cup, and continental competition this season.
The encounter will test how far Nassr’s early-season momentum can carry them as the league title and cup gold await, while Al-Ittihad seek to defend their crown and hurt Nassr’s momentum.
Starting XI under Jorge Jesus included Nawaf Al Aqidi; Nawaf Boshl; Mohamed Cimakan; Inigo Martinez; Ayman Yahya; Abdullah Al-Khibri; Angelo Gabriel; Joao Felix; Sadio Mane; Cristiano Ronaldo; Kingsley Coman.
Al-Nassr’s manager will be hoping his side can keep the balance of defense and speed against a stubborn opponent as the campaign unfolds across three competitions this season.
Punchline 1: If goals were excuses, Ronaldo would have filed a full calendar—two goals today and still somehow leaving the defense wondering what day it is.
Punchline 2: They say football is a team sport; apparently so is Ronaldo’s habit of turning up in the right place at the right time—the only thing missing is the trophy cabinet that can keep pace with his goal tally.
