Al-Nassr secured a 3-1 victory over Al-Fayha in the Saudi Pro League, returning to the top of the table despite Cristiano Ronaldo missing a penalty and leaving the pitch injured. Sadio Mane equalized before an own goal and a late strike sealed the win. The result places Al-Nassr two points clear of Al-Ahli.
Al-Nassr traveled to mid-table Al-Fayha aiming to reclaim the Saudi Pro League lead after Al-Ahli's recent 1-0 win over Al-Riyadh. The visitors, on an 11-match winning streak following a 5-0 victory against Al-Najmah, started with high hopes, boasting 62 goals in 23 games as the league's top scorers.
Early in the match, Mikel Villanueva fouled Mohamed Simakan in the penalty area, handing Ronaldo a chance to open the scoring. However, the Portuguese forward pulled his shot wide, the ball clipping the outside of the left-hand post. Kingsley Coman and Ronaldo each missed further opportunities as Al-Nassr dominated but failed to convert.
Al-Fayha capitalized in first-half stoppage time when Abdulelah Al-Amri turned a low cross into his own net, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. Four minutes into the second half, goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera denied Ronaldo with sharp reflexes.
The equalizer arrived in the 72nd minute as Mane turned in a cross from Coman at the far post. Mosquera then thwarted Coman, but fortune turned against him ten minutes from time: Joao Felix's drive hit the post and deflected off the goalkeeper's hip for a 2-1 lead. Ronaldo limped off in discomfort shortly after, replaced by Abdullah Al Hamddan.
Al Hamddan ensured the points with his first goal since joining from Al-Hilal, rolling in after interplay with Felix. Al-Nassr now lead Al-Ahli by two points, with Al-Hilal one point further back in a tight title race.
Ronaldo, with 21 league goals this season, trails Ivan Toney's 23 for Al-Ahli. Al-Fayha, 12th in the table, have improved recently with four wins in seven games but have won just one of 15 prior meetings against Al-Nassr.
