(Riyadh) Cristiano Ronaldo made his official debut for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Premier League by dominating Al-Ittifaq (1-0) on Sunday at Riyadh’s Mrsool Park in the 14e daytime.
In a supercharged atmosphere with 22,862 supporters white-hot for the premiere of their idol, CR7, a will, struggled on all fronts of the attack, multiplying calls to score in vain.
A few days after his double against PSG in the friendly match (5-4 defeat), the Portuguese star, propelled captain of Al-Nassr, by the French coach Rudi Garcia, however weighed on the meeting.
The locals opened the scoring after a collective action: a center from Al Sulaiheem who lobbed CR7, but Anderson Talisca, better placed behind him, catapulted the ball into the back of the net (31e).
Five minutes later, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner tried his luck with a well-placed free kick, but his shot didn’t find the target.
Then, his center back for Gonzalo Martinez almost proved decisive, but the heavy strike from the Argentinian playmaker of Al-Nassr was opportunely slammed for a corner by the opposing porter (57e).
His best chance of the match was undoubtedly this hook which put Al Mowalad on the buttocks before his shot in force which Victor, the Al-Ittifaq goalkeeper, repelled (78e).
Sign that the public has adopted it, this sign brandished in a tribune of Mrsool park proclaiming: “I wish you the best, but you are only the best (I wish you the best, but you are already the best, Editor’s note)” .
Thanks to this success, Rudi Garcia’s team climbed to the top of the championship with 33 points ahead of their rivals Al-Hillal by one length. As for Al Ittifaq, trained by his compatriot Patrice Carteron, he remains stuck in the 10e position in the ranking.