RIYADH — Al Nassr triumphed over Al Ettifaq with a 3-1 win on Friday, maintaining their chase of Al Hilal, the current leader in the Saudi Professional Football League. Throughout most of the match, Al Nassr was the superior team, taking the lead just two minutes before the end of the first half with a splendid shot by Brazilian player Alex Telles. Marcelo Brozović, marking his first league goal with Al Nassr, scored in the 59th minute from a counterattack initiated by intercepting the ball near the penalty area. Cristiano Ronaldo concluded the scoring in the 73rd minute with a penalty kick, earned by a handball inside the area. This goal places Ronaldo at the top of the league's scoring chart with 17 goals, one ahead of Al Hilal's striker Aleksandar Mitrović. In the final moments of the match, Mohammed Al Kuwaikibi scored Al Ettifaq's sole goal from close range. With this victory, Al Nassr has reached 40 points, holding the second position in the league after 17 matches. They are ten points behind Al Hilal, who leads with 50 points from 18 matches. Al Ettifaq's tally remains frozen at 24 points in the eighth position, following their seventh consecutive league match without a win.
