Al Nassr secured a thrilling victory against Damac in a tightly contested match in the Saudi Pro League, with Aymeric Laporte scoring a crucial stoppage-time header.
The match saw Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Alex Telles, and Marcelo Brozovic start on the bench under the guidance of coach Luis Castro.
Despite the absence of key players, Al Nassr managed to maintain control of the game, with Sami Al Naji sustaining an early injury that led to the introduction of Marcelo Brozovic.
The victory sets the stage for a high-stakes showdown against Al Hilal in the upcoming Saudi Super Cup semifinal.
Al Nassr remains in second place behind the dominant leaders, Al Hilal, who also secured a win against Al Khaleej.
Aymeric Laporte’s match-winning header in the 90+1 minute sealed the deal for Al Nassr in a match filled with tension and excitement.
Key moments in the game included missed opportunities from both teams, with Ali Lajami squandering a chance for Al Nassr and Mohammed Qasem escaping a potential red card following a clash with Ramzi Solan.
The dynamic duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane injected energy into the game when they were brought on as substitutes, with Mane creating a brilliant chance for Meshari Al Nemer, who narrowly missed the target.
Ronaldo’s attempt on goal was thwarted by Abdelkader Bedrane, leaving the Portuguese star eager to add to his impressive goal tally in the league.
Ultimately, it was Laporte who emerged as the unlikely hero, netting his third goal of the season from Brozovic’s corner kick.
Credit Gist New Today News in Newspaper Nigeria Headlines