Al Nassr vs Damac score, highlights, result as Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick goal provides nervy comeback win

Kyle Bonn

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Al Nassr vs Damac score, highlights, result as Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick goal provides nervy comeback win image

Cristiano Ronaldo’s free-kick completed a two-goal comeback from Al Nassr who picked up all three points at home in a 2-1 win over Damac…but only just.

Trailing at half-time, Anderson Talisca’s 53rd-minute free-kick brought Al Nassr level, and Ronaldo’s own blistering free-kick three minutes later secured the three points. The win for the hosts saw them keep pace with those at the top, sitting third with a four-point deficit between them and leaders Al Hilal.

Yet while they did manage to bag the win, the hosts will consider themselves extremely lucky to do so, with their performance begging plenty of questions about their title aspirations. Damac blew no fewer than three glorious opportunities to score, which, had they taken even just one, would have been a devastating blow to Al Nassr’s hopes of eventually topping the table.

Ronaldo and Talisca provided the win, but Al Nassr escaped with the result rather than emphatically secured it. They need far more structure and solidity at the back if they are to close the gap at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings.

The Sporting News followed the Al Nassr vs. Damac match live, providing score updates, commentary, and highlights as they happened.

MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo's 11th goal of the season has him atop the league goal scoring chart

Al Nassr vs Damac final score

  Score Goalscorers
Al Nassr 2 Talisca (53'),
Ronaldo (56')
Damac 1 N'Koudou (45+1')

Kickoff: 8 p.m. local (11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT)
Location: King Saud University Stadium (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Referee: Hector Martinez (SLV)

Starting lineups:

Al Nassr (4-2-3-1, right to left): 36. Al Najjar (GK) — 12. Al-Boushal, 5. Al-Amri, 27. Laporte, 15. Telles — 6. Fofana, 17. Alkhaibari (Ghareeb, 46') — 94. Talisca, 25. Otavio, 10. Mane (A. Ahmed, 90+1') — 7. Ronaldo.

Damac (4-2-3-1, right to left): Zeghba (GK) — S. Al-Hawsawi (Solan, 69'), Chafai, Bedrane, Al-Anazi — Hamed, Antolic — Zain (Making, 81'), Stanciu, N'Koudou — Ceesay (Harisi, 81').

Al Nassr vs Damac live updates, highlights, and commentary

FULL-TIME: Al Nassr 2-1 Damac

The come-from-behind victory for the hosts is secured...but only just! A very nervy and mistake-prone performance goes unpunished, but Damac were good enough to earn something from those 90 minutes, especially down the stretch as they put Al Nassr under heavy pressure.

Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick goal was the difference, but it was not a performance fitting of a title winner, and Al Nassr must improve if they wish to challenge for the league championship, or even a continental qualification place.

Al Nassr vs Damac: Second Half

90+7 min: Damac are still pushing hard for the crucial second goal, but it's not happening just yet.

90th min: Chance Damac! Oh my, the visitors have blown another opportunity at the death! Damac are putting Al Nassr under heavy pressure as the end of the match closes in, and they've got a glorious opportunity at the far post on a deep ball that floats over Alex Telles, but it's put wide and high by Ahmed Harisi who really should have put that on frame!

An incredible nine minutes of stoppage time is shown, which is a very hefty total. Sadio Mane is withdrawn as Luis Castro tries to shore up the defensive third with Damac pushing hard for an equaliser.

81st min: Damac make a double change, with Assan Cisse finally withdrawn alongside Ahmed Zain, with Abdulaziz Making and Ahmed Harisi entering.

78th min: Chance, Al Nassr! Alex Telles feeds Cristiano Ronaldo at the near post, but he can't put the tight-angle chance on frame! He is pressured well by a defender, and blasts the chance over the crossbar.

Al Nassr have efforted to make Damac chase over the last 10 minutes, not really threatening on goal but forcing the visitors to do a lot of defending.

69th min: There's a real problem for Damac here as Sanousi Al-Hawsawi is stretchered off on the cart, replaced by Ramzi Solan. Al-Hawsawi took a shot and appears to have yanked a muscle in the process, and it ends his match early.

64th min: The official has booked someone on the Damac coaching staff as the visitors are incensed on the touchline. It's hard to back their protests, as they have been far too physical this half.

Assan Cisse especially has been a loose cannon, and as he sits on a yellow card and having blown a pair of glorious chances up front, it's a wonder why he's still on the pitch. He should be replaced soon if Damac wish to find a way back into the match.

60th min: Assan Cisse is earns a silly booking as he first commits a scissor foul from behind on the touchline, and then boots away the ball in frustration. The Damac goalkeeper is a bit lucky not to be punished himself as he's seen bopping an Al Nassr player on the top of the head in a bit of a spat.

The lid stays on the pot for now, but it's in danger of boiling over.

56th min: GOAL! AL NASSR! Damac give away yet another dangerous free-kick, and this time Cristiano Ronaldo buries a magical set-piece into the top-right corner! The goalkeeper is rooted to his spot, with his feet stuck in cement!

Al Nassr have turned the match around and it's all come on dead ball deliveries! The King Saud University Stadium crowd is in absolute euphoria, and they reprise the pre-match tifo to honor Ronaldo with "GOAT 7" written in individual cards.

53rd min: GOAL! AL NASSR! Tarek Hamed is whistled for a handball as Abdulrahman Ghareeb fires a ball into the middle and it smacks Hamed on the arm. He's only just been booked, but escapes further punishment here.

It's again within Ronaldo Range, but he serves as a decoy this time as Anderson Talisca takes free-kick, and it finally provides the breakthrough! The smokescreen works!

50th min: Chance, Al Nassr! Damac pick up their first booking of the match as Tarek Hamed drags back Anderson Talisca. It gives Al Nassr a free-kick from about 28 yards out, which Cristiano Ronaldo stands over. He fires a scorching effort low towards the left post, but it blazes inches past the woodwork while a helpless goalkeeper could only watch and sigh with relief.

49th min: Chance, Al Nassr! Cristiano Ronaldo has a second goal ruled out for offside! He's standing mils off, over a full body width, on Sadio Mane's delivery. The Portuguese international remains off the board.

Kickoff: Al Nassr have quite the task ahead of them as this second half kicks off. They risk falling a full seven points back of the leaders at the top of the Saudi Pro League if this result holds.

HALF-TIME: Al Nassr 0-1 Damac

You can hear a pin drop at King Saud University Stadium at the halftime break, as the visitors are deservingly in front. In truth, it could be even worse as Assan Cisse flubbed two exceptional one-on-one chances on the counter-attack before Georges-Kevin N'Koudou finally put them in front.

Cristiano Ronaldo has had a few half-chances, but in truth Al Nassr have been second-best. They miss Marcelo Brozovic in midfield, and the back line has been carved to pieces by the Damac transitional play.

Al Nassr vs Damac: First Half

45+1 min: GOAL! DAMAC! The visitors go in front! Moments after Cristiano Ronaldo goes down in the penalty area looking for a call and not getting it, Damac produce a vicious counter-attack down the other end! It's finished off by Georges-Kevin N'Koudou who produces the final delivery that Assan Cisse couldn't!

There's a long VAR review before kickoff to check the possible penalty on Ronaldo, who is fuming at the centre circle, but the goal is eventually given!

41st min: Chance, Damac! A HUGE SAVE BY RASHID AL-NAJJAR, AND ASSAN CISSE'S BLOWN ANOTHER GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY! Oh my, he's clean through on goal again past the Al Nassr defence, but as the goalkeeper closes the gap, Cisse's shot is far too central and saved brilliantly by the Al Nassr netminder.

Cisse's had the best two chances of the match, and he's bungled them both!

40th min: Chance, Al Nassr! Cristiano Ronaldo electrifies the crowd as he dazzles on the ball, weaving through defenders into the penalty area and towards the spot, sending Damac players to the pitch as they desperately try to stop him, but his eventual shot is blocked and can't find a route to goal.

37th min: The game's a bit more open now with Otavio, Sadio Mane, and Talisca all finding space out wide, but Damac have done well to scramble back and recover as they play a high defensive line.

31st min: Anderson Talisca takes a shot from distance, and it takes a deflection and goes wide. It's another corner for Al Nassr, and there's a pile of bodies on the ground as it enters the danger zone. The referee blows the whistle to give Damac a free-kick as Abdulelah Al Amri is penalised.

28th min: Al Nassr have a very dangerous free-kick on the edge of the penalty area as Otavio finds Sadio Mane sliding across the top of the 18-yard box. Mane is brought down with his back to goal, and now Damac must deal with an effort very much in Ronaldo Range.

The Portuguese star blasts it straight into the wall.

21st min: Chance, Al Nassr! An Al Nassr corner finds the head of a leaping Aymeric Laporte, but he puts it wide left! Laporte jumped directly in front of Cristiano Ronaldo, and you almost feel that he's taken the ball off his own talisman's head, as you'd want Ronaldo to be on the end of that!

17th min: Chance, Damac! The visitors get a counter-attack as Al Nassr give the ball away in midfield, as Assan Cisse is clean through on goal, but he bungles it as the ball rolls harmlessly to Rashid Al-Najjar! He's got just the goalkeeper to beat as he gets through the back line on a vicious vertical ball, but it gets stuck at his feet and he can't et a shot off.

The offside flag stayed down, surprisingly, played on by Alex Telles, but he fell down at the final moment. What a missed opportunity!

10th min: There's an interesting tactical tweak for Al Nassr who are seemingly playing a back-three, with Alex Telles playing as the left centre-back while Sadio Mane is in a wide role on the left. They play this way in possession, but when Damac have the ball they're back to a more traditional back four.

The game's first yellow card is shown to Abdullah Alkhaibari who drags back Ahmed Zain after being beaten for pace. Al Nassr's defensive midfielder now on a booking the rest of the way.

5th min: Chance, Al Nassr! Cristiano Ronaldo has the ball in the net as he pokes home a deep feed from the right flank, but the flag is up to rule out the goal! He knows it immediately, and doesn't even bother to celebrate, but it's a warning shot from the hosts!

That was a brilliant ball from Al Nassr right-back Nawaf Al-Boushail, right on a platter, but Ronaldo just slightly mis-timed his run.

4th min: Al Nassr are holding all the early possession, with Damac bunkering and hoping to counter in the space behind Al Nassr's bombing full-backs. Nothing for either side in the attacking third just yet.

Kickoff: The match is under way! Al Nassr sit fifth currently, seven points back of the leaders Al Hilal with everyone else above them having already played, so they need three points just to keep pace with the rest of the pack.

Al Nassr vs Damac: Pre-match commentary, analysis, stats, and more

15 mins to kickoff: The teams are out for warmups and Cristiano Ronaldo looks to be in a great mood for this match, giving the camera a nod in the tunnel before entering the pitch.

30 mins to kickoff: Al Nassr have prepared a pretty fire pre-match tifo to recognise Cristiano Ronaldo, with fans set to hold up signs that make out the phrase "GOAT 7" plus an outline of his face.

45 mins to kickoff: Last time Cristiano Ronaldo took on Damac, he bagged himself a hat-trick. What's he got in store today for Al Nassr's opponents after scoring four for Portugal over the international break?

1 hour to kickoff: Lineups are in, and there's only one surprise for Al Nassr, as goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi is sent to the bench, with Raghed Al-Najjar getting the start in his place. The 27-year-old Al-Najjar joined from fellow Saudi club Al Taawoun this summer and now gets his first chance on the pitch for his new club.

Cristiano Ronaldo starts, with Seko Fofana brought into midfield for the injured Marcelo Brozovic.

1 hour 15 mins to kick: Cristiano Ronaldo wears shin guards with a photo montage of his kids, which is just adorable.

1 hour 30 mins to kick: Al Hilal beat Al Khaleej 1-0 on Friday thanks to another Aleksandar Mitrovic goal, meaning they are seven points ahead of Al Nassr at the top of the table. A win today for Ronaldo and company feels important.

2 hours to kickoff: Cristiano Ronaldo was in fine form for Portugal during the international break as they qualified for Euro 2024 in style. Can he replicate those performances back at club level?

Al Nassr vs Damac projected lineups & team news

Regular right-back Sultan Al Ghanam is suspended for this match after his late dismissal last time out in the draw with Abha. Nawaf Al-Boushal is the man to step in to fill the void.

Head coach Luis Castro has decided to make a change in goal, giving new signing Raghed Al-Najjar his first start of the season as Nawaf Al-Aqidi drops to the bench.

Marcelo Brozovic returned from the international break with a knock and will miss the game, which gives Seko Fofana a chance to snatch back his place in midfield. Fofana has seen decreased minutes due to a poor start to his time at Al Nassr, losing his midfield spot to Abdullah Alkhaibari.

Al Nassr starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Al Najjar (GK) — Al-Boushal, Al-Amri, Laporte, Telles — Fofana, Alkhaibari — Talisca, Otavio, Mane — Ronaldo.

Damac did not reap the benefits of the spending spree across the Saudi Pro League this past summer and have had to piece together a patchwork roster. Leading the line is Assan Ceesay who arrived from Italian club Lecce this summer for just €2.8 million, alongside the team's No. 10 Nicolae Stanciu, a 30-year-old Romania international who joined from Chinese club Wuhan Three Towns.

They are missing regular right-back Abdullah Al-Hawsawi to a long-term shoulder injury, forcing Sanousi Al-Hawsawi into action on his off side.

Damac starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Zeghba (GK) — S. Al-Hawsawi, Chafai, Bedrane, Al-Anazi — Hamed, Antolic — Zain, Stanciu, N'Koudou — Ceesay.

Al Nassr vs Damac live stream, TV channel

MORE: Watch Premier League matches live with Fubo in USA | Watch EPL in Canada

  TV channel Streaming
USA Fox Soccer Plus Fubo, Fox Sports GO, Fox Sports.com
Australia  — 10 Play
Canada  — DAZN
UK  — DAZN
India  — Shahid
New Zealand  — DAZN, Shahid
Malaysia  — Shahid
Singapore  — Shahid
Hong Kong  — Shahid

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.