Al Ta'ee vs Al Nassr score, highlights, result as Cristiano Ronaldo helps boost Saudi Pro League title hopes

Joe Wright

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Al Ta'ee vs Al Nassr score, highlights, result as Cristiano Ronaldo helps boost Saudi Pro League title hopes image

A penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo helped Al Nassr to a 2-0 win at Al Ta'ee and kept their Saudi Pro League title hopes alive.

Heading into this week's matches, Ronaldo's side had seen themselves fall five points adrift of leaders Al Ittihad in the race for the league championship and needing a minor miracle to get firmly back in the title picture.

The Portugal star missed a clear headed chance in the first half on Tuesday and saw a stinging shot superbly saved, and it looked as though his frustrations would continue following a run of just one goal in five club games in all competitions.

However, he made no mistake from 12 yards early in the second half before Talisca pounced on a defensive error to double Al Nassr's lead and seal a valuable victory.

Al Nassr fans were given extra reason to celebrate when, in the closing moments of their side's game, Al Hilal scored a late equaliser to hold Al Ittihad to a 2-2 draw.

It means the gap at the top is down to three points, with the top two having just three games each this season.

MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo's salary in Saudi Arabia

Al Ta'ee vs Al Nassr final score

  Final
Al Ta'ee 0
Al Nassr 2

Goals:

AL NASSR — Cristiano Ronaldo (pen) — 52 mins
AL NASSR — Anderson Talisca — 80 mins

Al Ta'ee vs Al Nassr lineups

Al Ta'ee (4-4-1-1, right to left): 1. Braga (GK) — 40. Fai (13. Al Toiway), 3. Majrashi (23. Al Qumairi), 30. Semedo, 12. Qassem — 10. Sayoud (15. Jafar), 8. Dener, 7. Ali, 75. Harzan (18. Al Qunaian) — 11. Musona — 9. Mbenza (32. Al Johani)

Al Nassr (4-1-4-1, right to left): 22. Rossi (GK) — 2. Al Ghanam, 78. Lajami (5. Al Amri), 21. Gonzalez, 13. Konan (12. Boushal) — 18. Luiz Gustavo — 94. Talisca, 8. Al Sulaiheem (14. Al Naji), 29. Ghareeb (23. Yahya), 17. Al Khaibari (4. Al Fatil) — 7. Ronaldo

Al Ta'ee vs Al Nassr live updates, highlights from Saudi Pro League

Final: Al Ta'ee 0-2 Al Nassr

It finishes 2-0 to the visitors, who had a comfortable time of things in the end. Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty and Anderson Talisca's 17th league goal of the season got the job done in the second half, and Al Hilal's late equaliser against Al Ittihad means the gap at the top of the table is down to three points!

90 + 6 mins: Deep into stoppage time, Dener swings in a free-kick from the right, and Ronaldo heads it clear. Al Nassr break, Talisca surges into the box, but his shot is straight at Braga. Only then does he see that Ronaldo had sprinted with him and was awaiting a tap-in had he only passed sideways.

90 + 1 mins: We're going to have SIX minutes of added time, which feels a bit unnecessary. Al Qumairi battles well to win a throw-in from Talisca close to the corner flag, but when the ball is eventually crossed into the box, Rossi catches it unchallenged.

89 mins: There's a Mexican wave going on in the stands, which tells you about the amount of action on the pitch right now. Al Nassr are easing through these closing minutes.

85 mins: Ronaldo is back to clear a dangerous free-kick on the edge of his own six-yard box. He's doing his best to make sure Al Nassr see out this win.

80 mins: TALISCA MAKES IT 2-0! Oh, it's a horrible mistake from Qassem. Receiving the ball from Collins Fai, he tries to pass it infield on the edge of his own area, and Talisca intercepts far too easily. The Brazilian then finishes low past Braga, taking his tally to 17 league goals for the season.

74 mins: Bit of a long stoppage here as Al Sulaiheem receives some treatment before heading from the field on one of those golf carts. It looks like he had a problem with his right foot. Al Ta'ee are looking a little more threatening now, but Rossi remains untested in goal.

68 mins: Nawaf Al Qamiri is on the for home side in place of Majrashi. They need to do something to threaten an equaliser. Just now, Talisca saw another header bounce up off the turf and over the bar.

60 mins: That should be 2-0! Talisca meets a teasing cross with a diving header but can't direct it on target. Al Nassr look in the mood for more goals now. Al Ittihad still lead 2-1, though, so the gap at the top will remain five points as things stand.

52 mins: RONALDO MAKES NO MISTAKE! The Portugal star rifles the ball into the bottom-left corner after a long, long wait. Braga guessed right, but he wasn't getting near that. Al Nassr lead!

49 mins: There's a VAR check for a penalty here, after Al Sulaiheem was caught in the box by Harzan just as he nicked the ball away from the Al Ta'ee man's foot. The referee checks his monitor and says... PENALTY!

46 mins: The second half is underway. Al Nassr need a big moment from their big star, or the league title might be beyond their reach.

Halftime: Al Ta'ee 0-0 Al Nassr

It's goalless at the break, Ronaldo having failed to convert one really good chance and seen another well saved by the goalkeeper. As things stand, Al Ittihad are going seven points clear at the top of the table.

45 + 1 mins: Musonda manages to bundle his way through a couple of challenges and the ball breaks kindly to Mbenza, but his left-foot shot is sliced well wide. Braga needed a bit of treatment just now, so we'll have four minutes of added time at the end of the half.

41 mins: I might have been wrong about Semedo — he's just made a brilliant sliding interception to cut out a dangerous Ronaldo throughball. He even had a little celebration.

38 mins: Ronaldo lines up a free-kick from 30 yards out... and hits the wall. We're going to see an early change for Al Ta'ee, it seems: Semedo is struggling with what looks like a hamstring issue.

35 mins: Al Ta'ee should be leading! A quick break sees Sayoud race in behind the defence with only Rossi to beat. Rather than shoot, he checks back and tees up Musona 12 yards out, but his touch is heavy and Lajami slides in to block. The ball falls back into Sayoud's path, but he too can't control properly, and Al Nassr scramble it clear.

33 mins: Al Ta'ee are living dangerously. Al Ghanam heads Luiz Gustavo's raking pass back across the box, but it's just too high for Ronaldo to reach, and the chance is gone.

29 mins: Ronaldo denied again! Having worked some space on the edge of the box, he lets fly with his left foot only to see Braga leap to his right to make a fine save. Al Sulaiheem is down after a 50-50 with Musona and play has now stopped so he can receive treatment.

26 mins: Harzan combines with Ali down the Al Ta'ee left and just keeps the ball in play to win a corner from his attempted cross. That really looked like the ball had gone out... Musona's delivery is far too deep, though, and it's a goal kick.

23 mins: Ronaldo! Big chance. The forward leaps unmarked to meet a right-wing cross but plants his header straight into the arms of Braga.

10 mins: Al Nassr are controlling possession for the most part, but there's been little to speak of by way of clear-cut opportunities.

KO: We're underway in this potentially critical Saudi Pro League fixture!

30 mins from kickoff: Al Nassr could sure use a big performance from this man today...

1 hour from kickoff: Naturally, Ronaldo starts in attack for the visitors, who are matching Al Ta'ee's 4-1-4-1 system today.

1 hour 30 mins from kickoff: For Al Nassr and Ronaldo, the objective is pretty straightforward: win, and keep the pressure on Al Ittihad. Should they fail to beat an Al Ta'ee side with little to play for, the title might be beyond their reach.

Pos Team Points Matches
Played		 Goals
Scored		 Goal
Difference		 Next
Match
1. Al Ittihad 62 26 52 +41 @ Al Hilal, May 16
2. Al Nassr 57 26 54 +39 @ Al Ta'ee, May 16
3. Al Shabab 53 26 51 +26 vs. Al Wehdah, May 18
4. Al Hilal 49 25 45 +22 vs. Al Ittihad, May 16
5. Al Taawoun 46 27 38 +6 vs. Al Ta'ee, May 22
6. Al Fateh 39 27 43 +4 vs. Al Ettifaq, May 22
7. Al Ta'ee 34 26 39 -2 vs. Al Nassr, May 16
8. Al Ettifaq 33 26 24 -5 @ Abha, May 18
9. Al Raed 32 27 38 -7 @ Al Feiha, May 22
10. Damac 32 26 30 -7 vs. Al Hilal, May 18
11. Abha 30 26 30 -14 vs. Al Ettifaq, May 18
12. Al Feiha 29 27 29 -10 vs. Al Raed, May 22
13. Al Wehda 26 26 22 -15 @ Al Shabab, May 18
14. Al Khaleej 24 27 23 -19 @ Al Wehda, May 22
15. Al Adalah 24 27 26 -26 vs. Al Hilal, May 23
16. Al Batin 19 27 24 -33 @ Al Ittihad, May 23

2 hours from kickoff: We're used to seeing Cristiano Ronaldo in action on the day of a UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg, but it's a domestic trophy he's fighting for today. Al Nassr are desperate for a win to keep their league title hopes alive.

Al Ta'ee vs Al Nassr lineups

Al Ta'ee have nothing left to play for this season and make just one change from the defeat to Al Batin last time out, with Abdulaziz Majrashi replacing Abdulkarim Sultan in defence.

Al Ta'ee starting lineup (4-4-1-1, right to left): 1. Braga (GK) — 40. Fai, 3. Majrashi, 30. Semedo, 12. Qassem — 10. Sayoud, 8. Dener, 7. Ali, 75. Harzan — 11. Musona — 9. Mbenza

Al Ta'ee subs (12): 6. Al Harabi, 13. Al Toiway, 15. Jafar, 18. Al Qunaian, 19. Al Jubairi, 23. Al Qumairi, 26. Bajandouh, 32. Al Johani, 44. Al Baqaawi

Al Nassr's injury picture is unchanged, with interim head coach Dinko Jelicic still without David Ospina and Pity Martinez due to long-term injuries.

Al Nassr starting lineup (4-1-4-1, right to left): 22. Rossi (GK) — 2. Al Ghanam, 78. Lajami, 21. Gonzalez, 13. Konan — 18. Luiz Gustavo — 94. Talisca, 8. Al Sulaiheem, 29. Ghareeb, 17. Al Khaibari — 7. Ronaldo

Al Nassr subs (12): 3. Madu, 16. Maran, 33. Abdullah, 14. Al Naji, 4. Al Fatil, 27. Qasheesh, 5. Al Amri, 23. Yahya, 12. Boushal

MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo goals Al Nassr 2022/23: All his highlights, hat tricks, assists

Al Ta'ee vs Al Nassr live stream, TV channel

Local broadcasters in selected countries have acquired the rights to televise or stream the Saudi Pro League, while fans in other countries can subscribe to streaming platform Shahid for complete coverage.

According to LiveSoccerTV, the following networks are carrying this match:

  TV channel Streaming
Australia — 10 Play
Canada — Shahid
Hong Kong — my TV Super, Shahid
India Sony TEN 2 Shahid, JioTV, SONY LIV
Malaysia Astro Supersport 5 Shahid, Astro GO, sooka
New Zealand — Shahid
Singapore — Shahid
UK — Shahid,
Sky Sports on YouTube
USA — Shahid

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.