Cristiano Ronaldo from close range four minutes into the second half completed a dramatic comeback as Al-Nasr rallied from a shock first-half deficit to defeat Al-Taawoun 2-1 at Al Awal Park and maintain their perfect start to the Saudi Professional League season.
Ange Postecoglou’s star-studded side went cold in the 11th minute when Bassam Al-Huraiji fired home from close range to give the visitors an unexpected lead, but Samu Costa’s stoppage-time goal and then Ronaldo’s predatory instincts set them on their way.
Al-Nasr had entered the match as the favourite, and had a strong start to the season, winning each of its previous three matches in the league, but Al-Taawoun showed early ambition that upset the hosts.
Younes Al-Bahrawi passed Nawaf Al-Aqidi, the reserve goalkeeper who replaced the suspended Pinto, during the first half-hour, and the shock goal came when the visitors moved brilliantly down the right flank and Al-Huraiji arrived to score from very close range.
Al-Nasr pressed hard for an equalizer and Sadio Mane was the most consistent threat, repeatedly shooting into the visitors’ defense and forcing Milson into sharp saves.
It took a moment of quality from Samu Costa to restore parity before half-time. The Portuguese midfielder, making only his second start for the club since his summer arrival, received the ball 25 yards from goal after Mane’s pass and fired a shot into the bottom corner to equalize in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Within five minutes of the second half, Mohamed Simakan attacked a corner pass and diverted the ball into Ronaldo’s path inside the six-yard box.
The 41-year-old reacted first and headed the ball high into the net for the winner.
Ronaldo was withdrawn in the 80th minute, by which point Al Nasr had already survived some anxious moments.
Mane hit the left post after a decisive pass from Felix and the scoring seemed certain, while Melson continued to make it difficult to beat him at the other end.
Al-Taawoun pressed for an equalizer in the final minutes but could not find a way through against a team that, even on a sub-par afternoon, had enough individual quality to find a way to victory.
