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RIYADH — Al-Nassr reclaimed its winning streak in the Saudi Pro League by defeating Damac 2-1 in a highly anticipated match that coincided with the celebration of Cristiano Ronaldo's 200th appearance with the Portuguese national team.
The first half of the match did not favor Al-Nassr, entering without key players like Marcelo Brozovic, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, and Sultan Al-Ghanam due to various injuries.
Despite numerous attempts, Al-Nassr failed to breach Damac's defense. In the final moments of the first half N'Koudou scored the opening goal for Damac.
The first half concluded with Ronaldo, Al-Nassr's captain, leaving the field with evident displeasure after a heated discussion with the referee regarding a goal-related decision.
In the second half, Al-Nassr, deploying new tactics, launched consecutive attacks on Damac's goal.
Talisca, the Brazilian midfielder, capitalized on a foul near the penalty area, securing an equalizer. Moments later, Ronaldo stepped up for another free kick, scoring his 11th goal of the season and giving Al-Nassr the lead.
Despite Damac's attempts to level the score in the closing minutes, they were unsuccessful, securing a victory for Al-Nassr. The win elevated Al-Nassr to third place with 22 points, while Damac remained at ten points.
In another match in the city of Ar-Rass, the coach of Al-Hazem, Daniel Carreño, celebrated his debut with the team with a 4-2 victory over Al-Raed.
This marked Al-Hazem's first win of the season, bringing their points to seven, while Al-Raed faced setbacks, freezing at five points and dropping to the bottom of the rankings.
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