Al-Nassr 2, Al-Wehda 0: Ronaldo penalty extends winning run

In the most eagerly awaited Saudi Pro League match of the season, Al-Nassr sealed their consecutive win with a 2-0 victory over Al-Wehda, courtesy of Angelo and Cristiano Ronaldo. The outcome thus took Al-Nassr into second place in the league table, in direct testimony to the strength of the team, all strategies well chalked under new manager Stefano Pioli. Al-Wehda’s Waleed Bakshween saw an early red card in the game, which did not help his side much in a bid for a turnaround.

First Half: Angelo Breaks the Deadlock
Al-Nassr went into the game in a good mood, with the team’s morale boosted by Pioli’s excellent start for the club. They were able to dominate the first part of the game, and it was a bit lucky for them that Wesley had a shot that hit the woodwork to keep the scoreboard at zero. Al-Wehda could not do enough to tackle the attacking power of Al-Nassr; they continued to pin the defense back constantly.

The breakthrough was in the 40th minute when one of Al-Nassr’s key players this season, Sadio Mane, made a beautiful pass to Angelo. The Brazilian forward did not waste it, nonchalantly slotting it past Al-Wehda’s goalkeeper when his side took the lead 1-0. Angelo, therefore, took his second goal of the season and gave Al-Nassr all it needed before halftime.

Al-Wehda never lost hope and had some good opportunities before half time. Youssef Amyn’s attempt was mere inches from leveling, as the ball missed the farthest post with an almost infinitesimal distance. Juninho Bacuna then tested Bento again, Al-Nassr goalkeeper, on another powerful strike, but Bento proved up to the task in keeping the team ahead.

Second Half: Ronaldo Seals the Victory
The second half was pretty much the same as the first half, as Al-Nassr continued dominating the situation, but Al-Wehda had other plans; they were unwilling to let things slip away and keep the match in balance. Matters worsened for them soon when Mohamed Al Makahasi brought down Sultan Al Ghannam in the box, leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot.

Not unexpectedly, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who stood up to take the penalty with aplomb. Portugee superstar Ronaldo calmly beat the ‘keeper the wrong way to double Al-Nassr’s lead from the spot in the 72nd minute. This is Ronaldo’s seventh of the season and a reminder of his clinical finishing ability.

Al-Nassr had a chance to increase their lead when Mane scored a shot in the 80th minute. However it was ruled out as Ronaldo was booked for being in an offside position in that move. But despite that missed goal, Al-Nassr maintained in strict control.

Late Drama: Bakshween Receives Red Card
Al-Wehda’s misery was then compounded by injury time as Waleed Bakshween was sent off for dissent after he had been yellow-carded. His sending off had the result that ten men remained on the pitch for Al-Wehda, thus killing off all hopes of a comeback. Al-Nassr had the last minutes of the game entirely in their pocket and had ensured that their two-goal lead would come to fruition at the end.

Bakshween’s red card proved to be the turning point as Al-Nassr easily saw the match out. Ten men remained the only advantage Al-Wehda could look forward to during the final stages of the match, which they failed to capitalize upon. All their earlier attempts, including Amyn’s close miss and Bacuna’s effort that forced a save by Bento, were nothing to speak of that could change the course of the game.

Stefano Pioli ushered in a new era for Al-Nassr.
The impact of Stefano Pioli has been immediate and impressive at Al-Nassr. After his first game earned the team a 3-0 win over Al-Ettifaq, Pioli started as the first manager in the history of the club to go with two consecutive clean sheets at the beginning of his spell at Saudi Pro League. His concentration on proper solid defensive organization and potent attacking strategies was quite visibly successful since Al-Nassr won both the games under his management without conceding a single goal to their defense.

Of course, interestingly enough, Pioli’s tactics were well-struck into the game in the first half where Al-Nassr took 14 of their 19 shots before half-time in this game. Such is the manner through which they have accumulated an expected tally of 1.42, suggesting very high-quality chances. Dropping some pressures from Al-Wehda, Pioli’s defense ensured that his team kept on top of things.

Al-Nassr’s Title Hopes: A Serious Contender
This victory strengthened Al-Nassr’s position at the Saudi Pro League table, now standing with just a point from the leaders, Al-Hilal. The outstanding beginning of the season and Pioli’s proper management set up a heavy league title prospect for the team. With Ronaldo and his goal-scoring genius and other stars such as Mane and Angelo, Al-Nassr can easily showcase strength against any contender in the league.

Al-Wehda, however suffered a defeat at the wrong end of the table that relegated them to 14th spot. Although they did not capitalize on very few scoring chances they had and got a red card from Bakshween, it’s serious questions about how they avoid relegation. On any given day, Al-Wehda shows backbone, but they need polishing out their defense and their finishing if they have any hopes of changing their season.

Conclusion: Al-Nassr Ascends to Thrash Al-Wehda
Al-Nassr was dominating the match from kick-off as they obtained a 2-0 win against Al-Wehda. Angelo and Ronaldo were the ones who scored in the said match and they managed a consecutive win and progressed their title aspirations for the season. The influence of Stefano Pioli has indeed shown in the defensive solidity of the team along with how fluid the attacking team is for Al-Nassr and has made them one of the top contenders in this season’s Saudi Pro League. Al Wehda will need to regroup quickly if they are to avoid ending up among the bottom half of the table.

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