In a dramatic Saudi Pro League clash on Matchday 32, Al Nassr hosted Al Hilal in a title-deciding showdown. The scenario was straightforward for the hosts: a win would secure the league title with two games to spare, handing Cristiano Ronaldo his first Saudi league championship.
Al Nassr entered the match riding a 16-game winning streak, holding a five-point lead over Al Hilal with a game in hand. Al Hilal, having just won the King’s Cup final, appeared fatigued, but their squad depth remained formidable. In the first meeting between the sides this season, Al Nassr had won 3-1.
Both teams deployed seven foreign players in their starting lineups. Al Nassr lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Ronaldo and João Félix leading the attack, supported by Sadio Mané, Kingsley Coman, and Marcelo Brozović in midfield. Al Hilal countered with Karim Benzema, Theo Hernandez, and Malcom, boasting a star-studded XI.
The first half was action-packed. In the 4th minute, Benzema’s close-range effort was brilliantly saved by Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento. In the 18th minute, Benzema headed home, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Al Nassr broke the deadlock in the 37th minute from a corner, as Mohammed Al Fatil (or Simakan, as named in the original text) scored to make it 1-0. Just before halftime, Coman hit the post with a solo effort, leaving the score 1-0 at the break.
The second half was more subdued, with Al Nassr sitting back and Al Hilal struggling to create clear chances. It appeared Al Nassr would claim the three points, but in the 90+8th minute, disaster struck: goalkeeper Bento made a costly error, inadvertently carrying the ball over his own line for a bizarre own goal. The match ended 1-1.
After the draw, Al Nassr still holds a five-point lead at the top of the table, but the title will not be decided until the final matchday. A win in the last game would secure the championship, meaning Ronaldo’s first Saudi league title must wait at least one more game.
