RIYADH — Stefano Pioli's impressive start in the Roshn Saudi League (RSL) continued on Friday, as the Italian coach recorded a fourth consecutive victory at the helm of Al Nassr in a dramatic derby match against Al Shabab at Al Shabab Club Stadium. The late kick-off initially seemed destined for a routine 1-0 win for Al Nassr, especially as the match approached the closing minutes. However, multiple twists unfolded in the dying moments, leaving Al Shabab on the losing side at the final whistle. Spanish international defender Aymeric Laporte broke the deadlock in the 68th minute with an acrobatic strike that hit the roof of the net, giving Al Nassr the lead in this closely contested Riyadh derby. As the clock struck 90 minutes, however, young talent Nawaf Al Saadi showcased his skills. Coming off the bench, the former Abha winger beat his marker down the left flank and delivered a cross that was inadvertently deflected into his own net by Al Nassr's Ali Al Hassan, leveling the score. The drama wasn't over yet. Seven minutes into stoppage time, Abdulrahman Ghareeb made a decisive run into the Al Shabab penalty area, where he was fouled by defender Robert Renan. Cristiano Ronaldo, last season's golden boot winner, confidently converted the resulting penalty, marking his sixth goal of the RSL season. Just when Al Nassr thought they had secured the derby win, Al Shabab launched one final attack, resulting in another penalty. Al Nassr center-back Mohamed Simakan misjudged his tackle on Nader Al Sharari, leading the referee to award a penalty and issue Simakan a second yellow card after a VAR review. In a crucial moment, Abderrazak Hamdallah, the Moroccan striker and Al Shabab captain, faced the club with which he won the RSL top-scorer award twice. Although he sent goalkeeper Bento the wrong way, his shot struck the upright, marking the final action of a thrilling encounter. The victory leaves Ronaldo and his teammates among the two unbeaten sides in the competition, closing the gap to leaders Al Hilal to four points. Meanwhile, Al Shabab remains in fourth place and will need to halt their streak of two consecutive defeats.
