Duran sent off as Wijnaldum’s Late Strike Seals Dramatic Al Ettifaq Victory Over Al Nassr

Georginio Wijnaldum scored a stunning 89th-minute winner as Al Ettifaq secured a 3-2 victory against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in a thrilling Saudi Pro League encounter at Al Awal Park in Riyadh on Friday. The match, witnessed by boxing legend Oleksandr Usyk, was a back-and-forth affair marked by goalkeeping heroics, defensive errors, and late drama.

The first half was a showcase of goalkeeping prowess. Al Ettifaq’s Marek Rodak repeatedly denied Cristiano Ronaldo, while Al Nassr’s Bento produced a remarkable double save to prevent Wijnaldum and Radhi Al Otaibi from scoring in first-half stoppage time.

Al Nassr broke the deadlock just two minutes into the second half. Ayman Yahya headed home a precise cross from Sadio Mane to give the home side the lead.

The lead was short-lived. In the 55th minute, Wijnaldum capitalized on a mistake by Al Nassr defender Mohammed Al Fatil, rounding Bento and slotting the ball into the net. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but was awarded after a VAR review.

Ten minutes later, Al Fatil appeared to have atoned for his error, rising highest to head home a corner and restore Al Nassr’s advantage.

The match took another twist in the 81st minute. Al Fatil, unfortunately, became the central figure again, this time turning a Jack Hendry cross into his own net, leveling the score at 2-2.

With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Wijnaldum produced a moment of magic. The former Liverpool midfielder unleashed a superb curling effort from outside the box in the 89th minute, leaving Bento with no chance and sending the Al Ettifaq contingent into raptures.

The closing stages were marred by a red card for Al Nassr striker Jhon Duran, who was dismissed for an off-the-ball incident involving Abdulelah Almalki.

The defeat brought Al Nassr’s five-match winning streak to an end and dealt a blow to their title aspirations. Ronaldo’s side slipped to fourth in the table, eight points behind leaders Al Ittihad, who have a game in hand. The match provided a captivating spectacle, highlighting the growing intensity and drama of the Saudi Pro League.