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Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League title hopes took another hit on Thursday night as Al-Nassr fell to a damaging 2–1 defeat against Al-Qadsiah at Al-Awwal Park.
Despite dominating large spells of the match, Al-Nassr were undone by two second-half goals from Julián Quiñones and Nahitan Nández. Ronaldo’s late penalty sparked a frantic finish, but it was not enough to prevent another setback in the title race.
Al-Nassr Miss Chance to Close Gap on Al-Hilal
Al-Nassr started brightly and controlled much of the opening half, creating several chances through Kingsley Coman and João Félix. However, captain Ronaldo endured a quiet first half despite the hosts registering nine shots to Al-Qadsiah’s three and recording a higher expected goals tally (1.16 to 0.30).
The match turned dramatically shortly after the break.
Costly Goalkeeping Error Changes the Game
The home crowd was stunned in the 51st minute following a disastrous mistake from goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi. After a corner was cleared, Al-Aqidi hesitated on the ball and saw his attempted clearance blocked by Quiñones, who calmly rolled the ball into an empty net.
Al-Nassr’s problems deepened 15 minutes later when Nahitan Nández pounced on a rebound after Mateo Retegui’s shot was saved, doubling the visitors’ advantage.
Ronaldo Scores Late, but Comeback Falls Short
Al-Nassr were handed a lifeline in the 81st minute when Jehad Thakri was penalised for handball. Ronaldo stepped up and confidently converted the penalty to set up a tense finale.
Jorge Jesus’ side pushed hard for an equaliser during a lengthy 10 minutes of stoppage time, but Al-Qadsiah held firm to secure a famous away victory.
Match MVP: Nahitan Nández
While Quiñones capitalised on Al-Nassr’s error for the opener, Nández was outstanding throughout the contest. His energy, defensive work, and well-taken goal made him a constant threat and a key figure in Al-Qadsiah’s deserved win.
Despite having less possession, the visitors registered more shots on target and made their chances count.
Title Race Takes Another Twist
The defeat leaves Al-Nassr second in the table, four points behind leaders Al-Hilal, with their game in hand now gone. What once looked like a dominant title charge is increasingly slipping away.
Al-Qadsiah, meanwhile, climb to fourth place, strengthening their position in the top-four race and continuing their impressive season.
