Al Shabab vs Al Nassr final score, result, highlights as Cristiano Ronaldo scores in Saudi Pro League thriller

Joe Wright

Al Shabab vs Al Nassr final score, result, highlights as Cristiano Ronaldo scores in Saudi Pro League thriller image

Al Nassr made it 10 games without defeat and nine victories in a row as they battled to a 3-2 Saudi Pro League win over Riyad rivals Al Shabab.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who had scored in all three of his side's prior wins in 2024, broke the deadlock in the first half when a VAR check for handball following Sadio Mane's shot saw the visitors given a penalty.

Al Shabab were level just before the break through a penalty of their own scored by Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, but Anderson Talisca restored the lead just after halftime.

Carlos converted from close range to make it 2-2 but Talisca prodded in the winner in controversial fashion after Al Nassr took a throw-in that should really have been awarded to their opponents. Al Shabab's anger continued deep into injury time, when Abdullah Radif earned a second yellow card for a dive in the penalty area.

Al Shabab vs Al Nassr final score

  Fulltime Goal scorers
Al Shabab 2 Carrasco (P, 45+8'), Carlos (67')
Al Nassr 3 Ronaldo (P, 21'), Talisca (46', 87')

Confirmed lineups:

Al Shabab (3-4-2-1, right to left): Al Absi (GK) — Al-Sharari, Santos, Saiss — Al Yami, Cuellar, Rakitic, Al-Harbi — Diallo, Carrasco — Carlos.

Al Nassr (4-2-3-1, right to left): Abdullah (GK) — Alawjami, Alamri, Laporte, Telles — Al Khaibari, Brozovic — Talisca, Otavio, Mane — Ronaldo.

MORE: The top goalscorers in this season's Saudi Pro League

Ronaldo made no mistake with his first-half penalty after the referee eventually gave handball following Mane's blocked shot, but Al Shabab were firmly in the contest and deservedly levelled through Carrasco after a clumsy challenge from Aymeric Laporte.

Taslica's strike towards the bottom corner a minute after the restart should really have been kept out by goalkeeper Mohammed Al Absi, but Al Shabab refused to lie down to a team that won here 5-2 in domestic cup action late last year.

Carlos slid in at the far post to turn home a dangerous cut-back from the right from Habib Diallo, and at that point, the home side seemed the more likely to find a winner. Yet then came the moment of controversy, as the officials awarded Al Nassr a throw-in when it should have been Al Shabab's ball. Around six seconds later, Talisca had toe-poked a clever finish past Al Absi after being played through by Abdullah Al-Khaibari.

Ronaldo himself helped out with some last-ditch defending as Al Nassr sought to hold on through 11 minutes of added time. There was some concern for the away side when Radif went to ground in the box, but he was duly punished for a clear dive with a second yellow card.

Al Nassr remain in the title hunt, four points behind unbeaten leaders Al Hilal, who have a game in hand.

Al Shabab vs Al Nassr highlights

Highlights of the match will be available here when made available.

Al Shabab vs Al Nassr kick off time

This Saudi Pro League match at the Al Shabab FC Stadium kicks off on Sunday, February 25 at 8 p.m. local time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:

  Date Kickoff time
USA Sun, Feb. 25 12 p.m. ET
Canada Sun, Feb. 25 12 p.m. ET
UK Sun, Feb. 25 5 p.m. GMT
Australia Mon, Feb. 26 4 a.m. AEDT
India Sun, Feb. 25 10:30 p.m. IST

Al Shaba vs Al Nassr lineups, team news

Al Shabab sealed a 1-0 win on their return to action last week following the mid-season break with Ivan Rakitic scoring on his debut. 

Al Shabab (3-4-2-1, right to left): Al Absi (GK) — Al-Sharari, Santos, Saiss — Al Yami, Cuellar, Rakitic, Al-Harbi — Diallo, Carrasco — Carlos.

Al Shabab subs: Malayekah, Kanabah, Alqahtani, Al Sibyani, Al Yami, Al Sadi, Sharahili, Radif, Aljuwayr

Despite the prospect of two games in quick succession, Ronaldo starts for Al Nassr.

Al Nassr (4-2-3-1, right to left): Abdullah (GK) — Alawjami, Alamri, Laporte, Telles — Al Khaibari, Brozovic — Talisca, Otavio, Mane — Ronaldo.

Al Nassr subs: Al Fatil, Al Sulaiheem, Boushal, Al Najei, Alhassan, Yahya, Qassem, Al Aliwa

Al Nassr vs Al Shabab live stream, TV channel

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

  TV channel Streaming
USA Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Deportes Fubo, Fox Sports app/website
Australia  — 10 Play
Canada  — DAZN
UK DAZN 1 DAZN
India  —  —

Joe Wright

Joe Wright Photo

Joe is a Senior Editor at Sporting News. He was previously a sub editor and writer for Goal.com before spending six years as part of the Stats Perform editorial news service, covering major global sports including football, tennis, boxing, NBA, rugby union and athletics. Joe has reported live on some of the biggest games in football, including two UEFA Champions League finals, Euro 2016, the Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 World Cup final at the end of a month in Russia.