Al Nassr beats Al Khaleej despite Cristiano Ronaldo missing penalty
The goals from the Colombian and the Portuguese keep them one point behind Al Qadsiya
Cristiano Ronaldo arrived for the match after missing two matches due to muscle problems, so he came into this match with all his characteristic eagerness. The Portuguese player was visibly angry and desperate with every failed play, as his team held the initiative, despite Al Khaleej’s spontaneous attacks.
In the second half, “El Bicho” had a chance to put his team ahead, but ended up missing the penalty awarded against him. Moments later, his teammate Durán scored the first, and it wasn’t until the 97th minute, when Ronaldo, again from the 11-meter spot, would seal the match, leaving them one point behind Al Qadsiya (third).
The capital team came into the match with a vengeance after their draw in the previous match, so much so that Durán had already hit the post in the 20th minute. Cristiano Ronaldo, for his part, tried and tried, but nothing worked and he looked desperate.
Al Khaleej rarely made any progress, but they did so with great danger. If it weren’t for the central defenders and Bento’s good positioning, the result of the first half would have been different.
The second 45′ was a repeat of the first, since in the 64′ the referee awarded a penalty, much protested by the visitors, the one who was about to take it was the ‘7’, who after a short save, sent the ball wide, grazing the post, in an incomprehensible way, a tough afternoon for the Portuguese.
Moments later, in the 74th minute, Durán headed home a cross from Mané, rightfully making it 1-0. The match was winding down with the home side’s victory, but in the 97th minute, the referee awarded another penalty to Al Nassr for a foul on Ronaldo, and he himself was responsible for scoring the final 2-0.
Al Nassr will depend on Al Qadsiya not winning the final matchday, and on them winning clearly, to secure third place, a position that would grant them a place in the next Asian Champions League Two if Pioli’s team wins.
