Al-Nassr vs Al-Fateh Ronaldo Shines 3-1 Saudi League victory

Al-Nassr vs Al-Fateh is a very interesting Saudi Pro League game on January 26, 2025, at Riyadh’s Al-Awwal Park. Mohamed Simakan, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sadio Mané were all stars on both teams, so they both wanted to win big. Al-Nassr had a great chance to stay in the title race. It was a chance for Al-Fateh to move up in the league.

Al-Nassr won 3-1 in a game with lots of action, goals, and changes in strategy. This showed how tough they are and how good they are at striking. Here is a closer look at the game’s most meaningful events, players, and tactical lessons.

Match Overview: Al-Nassr vs Al-Fateh

Date: January 26, 2025

Venue: Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh

Competition: Saudi Pro League

Attendance: Approximately 30,000 fans

Final Score: Al-Nassr 3-1 Al-Fateh

First Half: Early Pressure and Controversy

When the game started, Al-Nassr had the ball most of the time, which was to be expected from a team that wanted to win the title so badly. They used a 4-3-3 shape, with the dangerous Cristiano Ronaldo and the fit Sadio Mané in the middle. This let them get past the Al-Fateh defense quickly. It was easy to attack: keep the ball moving quickly, use the wings, and when you don’t have the ball, press high.

The Disallowed Ronaldo Goal

Cristiano Ronaldo jumped right into the fight. After Mané made a nice pass, Ronaldo put the ball past Al-Fateh’s goalie with one of his trademark clean finishes in the 37th minute. After a VAR review, the goal was ruled out for offside, which made Al-Nassr happy for a short time. Ronaldo’s move put him in a good spot, but it also showed how close games are these days and told everyone right away how important it is to hit the ball accurately.

Own Goal by Saadane

Even with the defeat, Al-Nassr remained in charge. The breakthrough happened strangely in the 41st minute. Angelo sent a low, risky cross into the box, but Marwane Saadane of Al-Fateh had to clear it. Sadly for the defender, his attempt to stop the ball led to an own goal, which gave Al-Nassr the lead. It was a terrible moment for Saadane, but it showed how much pressure Al-Nassr was putting on him.

Second Half:

Al-Fateh made changes at the start of the second half because they were behind 1-0. Their manager changed the formation from a safe 4-2-3-1 to a more aggressive 4-2-3-1 pressing setup. The goal of this change in strategy was to make it harder for Al-Nassr to control the ball and give the counter attackers room to move.

Simakan’s Header: 2-0 to Al-Nassr

In the 57th minute, Al-Nassr scored a goal from a set piece performed flawlessly. Angelo once again made the delivery, whipping in a pinpoint cross after getting a free kick in a risky area. Al-Nassr now has a 2-0 lead thanks to a header by Mohamed Simakan, who rose above his defender and beat Al-Fateh’s goalie. Simakan’s header showed how good he was at getting things up in the air, and it put Al-Nassr in complete control of the game.

Al-Fateh’s Response: Bartna Pulls One Back

Even though they were down two goals, Al-Fateh wouldn’t give up. They scored when Al-Nassr’s goalie made a mistake in the 72nd minute. A cross from Al-Fateh’s attacking third threw off Al-Nassr’s defense. The goalie misjudged the ball, allowing Mourad Bartna to score. The well-taken goal brought the game to life and gave the visiting team hope.

Even though Al-Fateh got one back, they had difficulty keeping up the pressure and going for the goal. When they tried to press high, Al-Nassr quickly and sharply attacked back, and their defensive flaws started to show.

Ronaldo Seals the Victory

With only a few minutes left in the game, Cristiano Ronaldo ensured that Al-Fateh would not be able to return. Ronaldo got a great pass from Sadio Mané in the 87th minute. Mané had been a constant threat down the left wing. The Portuguese forward quickly scored the third goal, always a calm scorer. Ronaldo scored his 920th career goal with this goal, making him even more famous as one of the best football players ever.

With Ronaldo’s goal, Al-Nassr won all three points necessary for their quest for the Saudi Pro League title.

Player Performances: Key Figures for Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo: The Captain’s Influence

As always, Cristiano Ronaldo was at the center of Al-Nassr’s attack. Even though a goal was called back early in the game, he stayed focused and led the team the whole time. He scored goals, moved around off the ball, and made room for others, which were both crucial parts of Al Nassr’s smooth attacking play.

When Ronaldo scored his ninth goal, he showed great calmness. Al-Nassr’s victory was essential to his knowledge and ability to work well under pressure.

Sadio Mané: A Constant Threat

From the left side, Sadio Mané was always a threat. His speed, technical skill, and ability to see the field helped him and his partners create chances. Mané’s pass that set up Ronaldo’s goal was a great example of how well he understood the game and how to help others. There was more to the Senegalese forward than just setting up the goal. His lively play kept Al-Fateh’s defense on edge the whole game.

Angelo: The Creative Spark

Angelo was yet another great player for Al-Nassr. He was smart and clever, which helped him get past Al-Fateh’s defenses. He put dangerous balls into the box, which led to his goal and Simakan’s shot. Angelo was among the most critical players on the field because he could make chances from vast areas.

Mohamed Simakan: The Aerial Threat

The defender, Mohamed Simakan, did much more than play strong defense. His goal in the 57th minute showed how good he was in the air and how important he was in set-piece situations. Simakan’s main job is to defend, but his part in the attack showed how well he can do many things.

Al-Fateh’s Resilience

Even though Al-Fateh was upset about losing, there were some good things about how they played. Even though they were outplayed for most of the game, they kept going, especially after falling behind 2-0. Bartna’s goal showed their determination to win and ability to take advantage of Al-Nassr’s defense mistakes.

Mourad Bartna: The Bright Spot for Al-Fateh

One of the few good things about Al-Fateh was Mourad Bartna. His goal was well taken, and he stayed calm when things were tense. Overall, Al-Fateh had a challenging game, but Bartna’s attack work kept his team in it.

Marwane Saadane: A Tough Evening

Al-Fateh’s defenseman, Marwane Saadane, had a tough game. He played strong defense most of the time, but his goal in the first half was a big turning point. Even though Saadane made a mistake, his general defensive play showed how good he is, and he will try to get back on track in future games.

Tactical Analysis: Al-Nassr vs Al-Fateh

Al-Nassr’s Tactical Approach

Al-Nassr played based on keeping the ball and pressing high when they didn’t have it. They were able to stretch the other team and make overloads in large areas with their 4-3-3 form. Their fast-paced attack made it hard for Al-Fateh to keep up, as Ronaldo and Mané quickly linked up. How well they played set pieces was also very important to the game. Crosses that were well done led to both Simakan’s shot and Saadane’s own goal.

Al-Fateh’s Tactical Adjustments

Al-Fateh started the game with a more defensive 4-2-3-1 shape, but when they fell behind 1-0, they changed their strategy to be more offensive. After halftime, they tried pushing to get back into the game, but they lost because they couldn’t keep the ball and made mistakes on defense. They could get one goal back but weren’t consistent enough to compete with Al-Nassr.

Standings Impact:

With 32 points, Al-Nassr moved to third place in the Saudi Pro League standings after this win. Even though they are still eight points behind Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal, they were very important to their chances of winning the title. But Al-Nassr will need to keep playing the same way and get better at defense if they want to catch up to the top two teams.

Al-Nassr’s Quality and Al-Fateh’s Spirit

It was fun and exciting to watch Al-Nassr vs Al-Fateh play football. It was the best of Saudi football. Al-Nassr’s strong attack, led by Ronaldo, Mané, and Simakan, was too much for Al-Fateh to handle. But the visiting team’s toughness and fightback through Bartna’s goal showed they can answer when things get tough.

Al-Nassr will try to build on this win as the season goes on, while Al-Fateh will try to improve over the next few weeks. For now, Al-Nassr is still in the process of getting the title. Ronaldo’s leadership and strong offensive play make them one of the league’s strongest teams.