Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League title race was pushed back after today’s draw. Cristiano Ronaldo had the chance to secure the championship with one match left, but now he will have to wait a few more days after a 99th-minute own goal by Bento led to a tie with Al Hilal.
Ronaldo could still win the title with Al Nassr without even playing, as his next chance comes on Saturday. If Al Hilal fail to beat Neom, the championship will be secured with the current five-point gap and only two matches remaining for their closest rivals.
Saturday could become a celebration day for Al Nassr, as the club also has the AFC Champions League Two final against Gamba Osaka. If they do not secure the league before then, they will have to wait until May 21 for their final match. The team standing in their way would be Damac, which is fighting to avoid relegation, but if Al Nassr win, they will clinch the title regardless of how Al Hilal finish their match.
Al Nassr’s season
After several years in which inconsistency defined their performances, Al Nassr were much stronger this season. Their number of wins shows they were the most dominant side, with 27 victories.
Ronaldo must wait a bit more (Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
Their fewest results were draws, with only two all season. That suggests they were a high-risk team, always going for the win, even if that sometimes led to defeats.
see also
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr tie to Al Hilal, missing huge chance in Saudi Pro League title race
Al Nassr did not have a perfect season in that respect. Unlike Al Hilal, who finished without a loss, Ronaldo’s team lost four times. Still, the most important thing is that they got the result they wanted.
The goal difference
As is often the case with champions around the world, Al Nassr had a strong goal difference backed by their attacking power. They scored 87 goals and conceded only 27, finishing with a plus-60 goal difference on their way to the title.
