Cristiano Ronaldo in action against Al Adalah. (Twitter/al Nassr)Al-Nassr vs Al-Adalah Highlights: Cristiano Ronaldo returned to club action on Tuesday night and picked off from where he left, scoring a brace as Al Nassr demolished a hapless Al Adalah 5-0. The two goals added to Ronaldo’s previous tally of 9, bringing him to 11 goals for the season.
The Portuguese maestro opened the scoring with a penalty and added a second with a thunderous left footed shot which squeezed past goalie Milan Mijatovic. Teammate Anderson Talisca added two more while Ayman Yahya added the finishing touches with a goal, deep in added time. Despite the glut f goals, Al Nassr remained second in the table due to Al Ittihad’s 3-0 win over Damac.
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Follow live updates of Al-Nassr vs Al-Adalah below.
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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his sides fourth goal during the Euro 2024 group J qualifying soccer match between Luxembourg and Portugal at the Stade de Luxembourg in Luxembourg. (AP)
And itt's all over. The referee blwos the final whistle and Al Nassr runs away with the victory, courtesy braces from Ronaldo and Talsca while Hamad puts the cherry on top with the fifth.
Late chance for Al Adalah and they get a shot away from the point blank range and it's brilliantly saved by Rossi!!! How did he keethat out??In the other end, Hamad scores to add to Adalah's woes and makes it 5.
Al-Nassr 5-0 Al-Adalah
A free kick now to Al adalah as their striker is nudged to the ground by an SAl Nassr defender. it's whipped in and is easily dealt with.
Al-Nassr 4-0 Al-Adalah
Now, we have crossed the 90 mins mark. And there has been a lot of stoppage in this half and 9 mins have been added due to that.
Al-Nassr 4-0 Al-Adalah
Al Adalah with a bit of the ball now, trying to get a consolation goal. Ronaldo and Talsca are both on hattricks, meanwhile. And the corner from Adalah results in a nasty clash of heads between the Al Nassr goalie and the Al Adalah striker.
Al-Nassr 4-0 Al-Adalah
A free kick now for Al Adalah and the shot is punched away by Nawaf in the Al Nassr goal!! Al Adalah are not making the most from these set pieces and it has come to haunt them in this match.
Al-Nassr 4-0 Al-Adalah
And that is 4!!!! Anderso n Talisca is picked up by a delightful pass and he is one on one with the goalie!! He chips a shot and the ball bounces into the net!! What a dink!!
Al-Nassr 4-0 Al-Adalah
That's a foul by Talsca right at the edge of the Al Nassr penalty box. Just clipped Eugenio. Who is going to take it? And It's going to be Eugenio who hits the wall.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Adalah
The wind has been knocked out of the sails of Al Adalah as Al Nassr are seeing more of the ball. Adalah are looking for a break but all their balls are met by an Al Nassr player and a counter is started.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Adalah
Cramble inside the Al Nassr block as Renaldo's shot is blocked and the goalie can get the ball. Warning signs from Al Adalah.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Adalah
And another!!!!! And who else but Ronaldo!! He gets the ball in the edge of the penalty area, goes past the defender easily and thunders in a left foot strike for a goal!!!
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Adalah
Ghareeb tries to squeeze a ball through for Cristiano ronaldo but the defender gets in the way. A good passage pof play for al Nassr but offside.
Al-Nassr 2-0 Al-Adalah
Konan lobs a pass from the left hand flank and Talsca is airborne for a spectacular effort. But he misses the ball completely as aAl nassr can build again.
Al-Nassr 2-0 Al-Adalah
And we have another goal!!! Where did that come from??? He gets the ball near the edge of the penalty box, gets its laces through it and that has squeezed past the keeper for goal number 2! for Al Nassr!!!
Al-Nassr 2-0 Al-Adalah
The game feels a bit stilted now as it's mostly relagated tpo players keeping the ball in the midfield and passing it back. Renaldo from Al Aalah tries to get a cross in but it's headed out.
Al-Nassr 1-0 Al-Adalah
It's more of the same at the initial stages of the second half as Al Nassr keep the ball, trying the penetrate through the flanks while Al Aladah try to break on the counter.
Al-Nassr 1-0 Al-Adalah
And the second half has been kicked off by Al Adalah. Let's see if they can make a comeback or if Al Nassr can add some more goals.
Al-Nassr 1-0 Al-Adalah
And that's it for the 6 mins added time. The referee blows the whistle and we go to half time with Al Nassr leading the hosts courtesy of a Rnaldo goal.
HT: Al-Nassr 1-0 Al-Adalah
And right at the stroke of half time, Ronaldo makes a darting run and gets to the end of the ball by Talisca, triues to squeeze it through the goalie's legs but is off side.
Al-Nassr 1-0 Al-Adalah
Just a few minutes away from half time and that Ronaldo goal has put a spring in Al Nassr's steps. He goes to double figures with that. And another chance as Ghareeb gives in a cross to Ronaldo and a defender gets to it before Ronaldo can head it home.
Al-Nassr 1-0 Al-Adalah
And it's a penalty for Al Nassr after a long VAR check. And Ronaldo steps up to take it. And he fires it in the right of the goalkeeper!!! The shouts of Siuuu reverberating throughout the stadium.
Al-Nassr 1-0 Al-Adalah
A free kickfor Al Nassr and it's floated in by Ghareeb and headed clear for a corner. Played in and Mijatovic punches it away.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Konan gets a cross in and there's Talisca who performs a flying leap, gets the head to it but it's headed a bit too down and Mijatovic claims it. Clearest chance of the night.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Ghareeb plays a one touch pass to Gustavo and he has taken a shot from lomg range!! And that's gone over the bar. Ronaldo giving him the death stare there.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Wonderful ball over the top and Ghareeb is one one one with the keeper!! Can he score?? Noo!!! Just at the last moment he fluffs his line and Mijatovic claims it.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Both teams are trying to put together a few passes and get a clear cut chance. And another big chance as the Adalah goalie was almost picked off by Ronaldo. Dangerous to do that near the Portuguese poacher. Huge sigh of relief from the home support.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
And Cristiano Ronaldo ties to shoot and he tumbles over just on the edge of the penalty box!! Huge cries from the away end but referee waves it away.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
The clock goes past 20 and Ronaldo plays a pass to Talisca, looks for a return pass but the Brazilian is bundled over for a free kick to Al Nassr.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Konan passes to Ronaldo, who is in space. The Portuguese talisman tries to clip it through but can't find a teammate. Offside anyway.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
15 mins are done and we are not really close to breaking the dealock. Al Nassr have had the better of the attacking threats but Al Adalah are not behind, going behind the Nassr defence on a few occasions.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Now Al Nassr has a free kick and who else but Ronaldo to stand over it. But he does not take it. Ghareeb with a short free kick but nothing off it
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Al Adalah gives the ball away in the midfield as Ghareeb maraudes past a few defenders, tries to give a pass from the left side but it's blocked for a throw. Nothing off it and here's a Al Adalah atatck but Pedro could not get the balll under contro. Huge lef off for Al Nassr
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Another lobbed ball towards Cristiano Ronaldo but an Al Adalah defender flies through the air and gets a foot to nit as the ball goes to the goalie who pickis it up. Ronaldo is asking for a foul because he thinks it's an intentional back pass to the keeper but the rferee is not interested.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
A sudden burst from Al-Adalah as their striker gets crowded out by the Al Nassr defenders. The Al Nassr goalie can come and smother it. Giving something to think about to Al Nassr.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Great ball from the midfield to find Ronaldo. He takes it down expertly, does a few feints and tries to deploy a right footed shot but it's blocked. He is given offside but it was very very close.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
Konan down the left flank straight away and tried to finf a cream shirted player but Al-Adalah defence can deal with it. The slider is hoofed away.
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
The photographs are done so is the toss and we are just moments away from live action. Both teams are in a huddle and Al Nassr will kick us off. And here we go!!!
Al-Nassr 0-0 Al-Adalah
And we are back for action as Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr is dressed in all whites while the Al-Adalah players are garbed in purple and red. Their kits resemble a lot like Real Madrid and Barcelona's jerseys. Will that motivate Ronaldo even more? Let's wait and watch!!
We are just 15 mins away and Ronaldo is warming up with his Al Nassr teammates in the middle. Very soon, the players will head inside and come back out in the battle garbs. We wait for live action till then.
During the international break, Cristiano Ronaldo set a new record for the most international caps as Portugal played Liechtenstein. Ronaldo won his 197th cap, surpassing Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa, as he returned to the starting line-up and captained his country in their Euro 2024 Group J qualifier at the Jose Alvalade Stadium.
Last time in the Saudi league, Cristiano Ronaldo’s scored from a superb free-kick 78 minutes into the match against Abha. Ronaldo’s long-range leveler came after Abdulfattah Adam had fired Abha into a shock lead midway through the first half.
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Al-Adalah lineup: Mijatovic, Al-Jamman, Godal, Al-Salem, Al-Oufi, Edson, Hamdi, Lenis, Tijanic, Eugenio, Antonsson
If Al Nassr win tonight, they leapfrog rivals Al Ittihad in the group table. Al Nassr will then be 53 points while Ittihad will be on 50. In case of a draw both will be on 50 depending on the outcome of Al Ittihad's match which will be going on simultaneously.
Al Nassr and Al Adalah have clashed 5 times with the Cristinao Ronaldo-captained club running away with a perfect 5-0 record against Adalah.
Al Nassr: Nawaf, Sultan, Alamri, Gonzalez, Konan, Gustavo, Al Khaibari, Ghareeb, Sami, Talisca, Ronaldo
When it comes to recent form, Al Nassr have been dominant, losing just once in their last 5 matches. Meanwhile, Al-Adalah are pretty inconsistent, winning twice, drawing twice and losing once in their last 5 matches.
Al Nassr- WLWWW
Al-Adalah- DLWWD
Before going to interntional break with Portugal, Ronaldo wasn't having the best of times for his club,, having failed to score in 3 matches. But just before the break, Ronaldo managed to find the net against Abha. Can he restart from where he had left? We'll find out soon enough.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a very fruitful campaign with Portugal in the international break, scoring braces in both matches against Luxembourg and Liechtenstein respectively. He looked a satisfied and happy man playing in the national setup after a dismal 2022 World Cup. The Portuguese talsman will hope that form rubs off during his club duties.
Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Saudi Arabia for club duties after spending two weeks away from the Kingdom to play for portugal in the Euro 2024 qualifiers. Tonight, he faces Al-Adalah who are languishing at the 15th position in the Saudi Pro League table. Can CR7 add to his 10-goal tally against a relatively weaker opponent? Stay tuned for live updates