Cristiano Ronaldo Lends Dramatic Victory to Al Nassr in Arabian Club Cup Final

Last night and early this morning on August 13, Cristiano Ronaldo scored both goals to help Al Nassr come from behind and defeat Al Hilal 2-1 in extra time, clinching the title of the Arabian Club Cup – the Arabian Club Championship. This marks Ronaldo’s first championship since joining Saudi Arabian football, where he serves as the captain of Al Nassr.

At the King Fahd Stadium, Al Hilal took the lead in the 52nd minute with a close-range header from Michael. After scoring, the Brazilian player imitated Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous “Siu” celebration, mocking the Portuguese superstar.

Al Nassr responded well and had several scoring opportunities, but suffered a setback when Abdulelah Al Amri received a red card in the 71st minute. However, that didn’t deter them as Ronaldo scored his first goal of the night, a close-range header that equalized the score 1-1 for Al Nassr.

Despite receiving two more red cards during extra time, Al Nassr managed to secure a decisive goal. In the 8th minute of extra time, during a counterattack, Seko Fofana unleashed a beautiful long-range shot that hit the crossbar and bounced out. Ronaldo was there to courageously head the ball into the net, even as a player from Al Hilal attempted to block him.

The drama didn’t end there; Al Hilal was awarded a penalty in the middle of extra time, but VAR correctly overturned the decision. In the end, Cristiano Ronaldo had to leave the field due to injury after receiving two rough challenges from former Chelsea player Kalidou Koulibaly.

Al Nassr, led by Ronaldo, held on to win the Arabian Club Championship against all odds. Despite trailing and playing with ten men, they managed to turn the tide with Ronaldo’s brace. The Manchester United forward was awarded the Golden Boot for the tournament’s top scorer.

After the match, Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his excitement about his first victory in Asia. He took to his personal social media and posted a series of photos celebrating his goals and having fun, accompanied by a heartfelt message.

Ronaldo wrote, “Extremely proud to have helped the team win this important season’s championship for the first time. Thank you to everyone in the club who contributed to this great achievement and to my family and friends who have always supported me, as well as the fantastic support of Al Nassr fans. This (victory) is also for you,” accompanied by yellow and green heart emojis.

The new season of the Saudi Pro League has started with Roberto Firmino scoring a hat-trick for Al Ahli in a 4-1 victory over Al Hazm. Other notable players like Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, Allan Saint-Maximin, Roger Ibanez, and Franck Kessie also played for Al Ahli, marking a strong start to the season.

Firmino’s departure from Liverpool may have surprised many after his impressive performance at Anfield last season. In March, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted his surprise at Firmino’s decision to leave, stating, “Bobby came to me. Surprise, yes? Actually, a little bit. But I’m not surprised, I’m not sure. It’s a completely normal thing to do.

Things can go in two directions, and it’s one, and I respect that a lot. Bobby told me, and then the only thing he told me is, ‘I want to end this wonderful story in a positive way.'”

Photos posted by Ronaldo on Instagram after the match: