With a 2-1 victory over Al Taawoun, Cristiano Ronaldo assisted on both of Al Nassr’s goals as they climbed to the top of the Saudi Premier League.
The Saudi champions will compete in the Club World Cup later this year as a representative of the host nation, it was announced this week.
Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, followed up his four-goal performance against Al Wehda with another game-winning goal on Friday. Ronaldo will undoubtedly be anxious to play in FIFA’s premier club competition.
Having teed up Abdulrahman Ghareeb’s 17th-minute opener, Ronaldo supplied his second assist of the game to set up Abdullah Madu for Al Nassr’s winner with 12 minutes of normal time remaining.
Ronaldo’s first assist was a wonderful, first-time, sweeping pass into the path of Ghareeb, who still had work to do to shrug off his marker and beat Al Taawoun’s goalkeeper.
The 38-year-old Ronaldo might not have known too much about his touch for the winner as he, perhaps unintentionally, cushioned a team-mate’s shot back for Madu to drill into a gaping net, with the VAR awarding the goal after Ronaldo was initially flagged for offside.
The victory took Al Nassr back above Al Ittihad on goal difference.
“Top of the league and three important points,” Ronaldo tweeted after the match. “Great team work!”
Top of the league and 3 Important points! Great team work!💪🏼👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/ZaZTedpmaH
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) February 17, 2023