Al Nassr thump Al-Fayha 4-1 in Saudi Pro League: Cristiano Ronaldo inspires Al Nassr to thumping win
The highly-anticipated Saudi Pro League fixture between Al Nassr and Al-Fayha saw them mount a massive attack to seal the game 4-1 at Al Majma’ah Sports City. In this August 27, 2024, match, Al Nassr’s leading men, Cristiano Ronaldo and Anderson Talisca, proved instrumental in the winning cause as their team started to make its presence felt in the league.
Early Lead Sets the Tone
Al Nassr kicked the game off and brought out their dominance very fast. In the 5th minute, thanks to an assist from none other than Cristiano Ronaldo himself, Anderson Talisca found the back of the net. That early goal set the match in motion and pinned Al-Fayha back chasing the game. That early lead was a true reflection of Al Nassr’s attacking intention and a confirmation of their tactical superiority that would remain a critical component throughout the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo Doubles the Advantage
The first half wore on with Al Nassr fully in control of the game; they had better possession and created numerous goal-scoring opportunities. Al Nassr’s organised backline was difficult to breach for Al-Fayha, who were mostly confined in their half. The turning point of the match came just before halftime as the most prolific goal-scorer ever in the history of football, Cristiano Ronaldo, doubled Al Nassr’s advantage. Ronaldo managed to capitalize on the slack from the Al-Fayha defense in stoppage time over the 45 minutes and scored with a timely pass by Ayman Al Hussain to beat the goalkeeper. A goal that spoke volumes about Ronaldo’s finishing and how he could make a difference when it matters most.
Second Half: Al Nassr Continue Their Assault
Comfortably leading 2-0, the second half resumed. Al-Fayha tried its best to make it a comeback, but the midfield marshaled by Marcelo Brozovic and Sadio Mane kept it at bay. Al-Fayha then changed a number of players to try and change the dynamics of the squad. However, stern defense and control of the ball from Al Nassr thwarted any chances for a comeback.
In the 85th minute, Marcelo Brozovic had given Al Nassr 3-0 with a well-placed shot, assisted by Sadio Mane. Fast counter-attacking had exposing how good Al Nassr can convert from defense to attack. The seal in the match by Brozovic left little room for recovery by Al-Fayha.
Late Consolation for Al-Fayha
However, Al-Fayha continued in an unrelenting surge forward to try and work their way back into the match. The dividends came in the form of the much-needed consolation goal through Fashion Sakala in the 87th minute via a well-weighted assist from Alejandro Pozuelo. Sakala’s strike pegged it back to 3-1, affording Al-Fayha a ray of hope, however brief. Their celebration was cut short, though, as Al Nassr responded almost in an instant.
That was his second goal of the match, which he scored in the 90th minute of the game during stoppage time to restore Al Nassr’s three goals. Indeed, the goal Talisca scored was from a power drive outside the box and showed skill and precision to wrap up an eventful match well dominated by Al Nassr. The match ended 4-1, a true reflection of the better tactic and implementation by Al Nassr.
Stats and Analysis of the Match
The statistics of the match were quite impressive, with Al Nassr having the ball possession at 57% against Al-Fayha, which was 43%. To show that indeed they had a better share of possession. Al Nassr also managed 11 shots on goal, but Al-Fayha successfully conducted a total of 6 shots to just prove the difference in attacking. Midfielders of Al Nassr, with a total of 567 passes and a higher number of dangerous attacks, dictate the tempo of the match and hence enabled the forwards to stretch in creating width to expose the defensive loopholes in Al-Fayha setup.
Defensively, Al Nassr kept 7 saves, while Al-Fayha’s goalkeeper was called to action 5 times. Finally, Al Nassr were much disciplined, committing only 6 fouls against the 9 of Al-Fayha, and avoided any bookings, while Al-Fayha received 2 yellow cards.
Conclusion: A Statement Win for Al Nassr
The win against Al-Fayha was a statement that indeed Al Nassr’s intention is to be serious about the Saudi Pro League this season. Powered by the skill of international stars in Cristiano Ronaldo and Anderson Talisca, Al Nassr showed it is capable of bossing possession and, more importantly, the scoreline. Now a nightmare for any side in the league, through the influence of Cristiano Ronaldo, Talisca’s finishing touches, and midfield control of Brozovic, Al Nassr can manage the possession and dictate the scoreline.
This will give them the much-needed boost in their campaign and also assure them of their tactical coherency and how strong they are in attacking. Areas revealed in defeat: for Al-Fayha, most particularly they will have to improve their defense and their control in midfield. Both teams will be looking for a way of taking something from this game as the season wears on, with Al Nassr looking to keep their good run and Al-Fayha trying to come better from their mistakes.
To read more about the related article, click here
