Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Nassr suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 3-2 to fourth-placed Al-Ahli in Jeddah. Ivan Toney scored a brace for the hosts, while Abdulelah Al-Amri netted twice for the visitors before Merih Demiral's header secured the win. The match ended with both teams down to 10 players after late red cards.
The match in Jeddah on Friday provided a dramatic end to Al-Nassr's unbeaten run in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Ahli, missing key players like Edouard Mendy, Franck Kessie, and Riyad Mahrez due to the Africa Cup of Nations, started strongly. Within six minutes, Ivan Toney opened the scoring after Galeno's low cross, capitalizing on early pressure that saw Al-Nassr's Nawaf Al-Aqidi save an initial chance and Matheus Goncalves hit the crossbar.
Toney doubled the lead soon after, latching onto a ball over the top and finishing confidently. Al-Nassr responded in the 31st minute when Al-Amri's long-range effort slipped through Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi's legs. Just before half-time, Al-Amri leveled with a header from Marcelo Brozovic's corner, though Toney missed a chance for a hat-trick in added time.
The second half remained intense. Less than 10 minutes after the break, Demiral headed in Toney's flick-on from a Goncalves free-kick to restore Al-Ahli's lead. Cristiano Ronaldo wasted a golden opportunity around the hour mark, mishandling Joao Felix's pass, and Felix later saw a deflected shot hit the side netting.
Tempers boiled over in stoppage time, with Al-Ahli's Ali Majrashi sent off for slapping Felix and Al-Nassr's Nawaf Boushal dismissed for a last-man foul. Al-Ahli held on for the three points, bolstering their fourth-place position, while Al-Nassr stayed top but now risk being overtaken by Al-Hilal, who face Damac on Sunday. Al-Nassr had entered the game with 10 wins and one draw from 11 matches, led by Ronaldo and Felix's scoring prowess.
