Al-Taawoun took the lead in the 11th minute when Bassam Al-Hurayji converted a rebound after a shot struck the crossbar, yet Al-Nassr responded with a leveller from Samu Costa in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time following a low strike from outside the area. Cristiano Ronaldo then flicked Mohamed Simakan’s goal-bound effort into the net five minutes after the interval to secure the 2-1 result at Al-Awwal Park, according to ESPN’s match summary. The victory extended the defending champions’ unbeaten start to four league games while handing Al-Taawoun a second defeat in as many away fixtures.
League standings placed Al-Nassr top with 12 points from four wins after the result while Al-Taawoun sat 15th on two points from two draws and as many losses. The outcome continued a strong run for the Riyadh club that has now seen five straight victories across all competitions. Al-Nassr had required a late rally in their previous match to overcome Al-Ettifaq 3-2 despite playing with 10 men for much of the second half.
Ronaldo’s close-range finish took his Saudi Pro League total for Al-Nassr to 104 goals, according to club records, eclipsing the previous mark of 103 set by former striker Mohammed Al-Sahlawi between 2009 and 2019. The strike also represented the 41-year-old’s 978th career goal at club and international level, a tally noted across multiple outlets including Sportskeeda. He has scored in successive appearances since the league resumed following the 2026 World Cup.
Australian coach Ange Postecoglou has overseen an assertive start to the season that has drawn on the attacking talents of new signings including João Félix and established forwards such as Sadio Mané. The team’s ability to recover from early setbacks has been evident in both of its most recent outings. Postecoglou opted to keep Ronaldo on the pitch for the full duration after substituting him during the midweek comeback.
Al-Hilal advanced to second place with nine points after a 5-1 victory over Al-Khaleej that featured goals from Mohamed Kader Meite, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Theo Hernandez, Crysencio Summerville and Sultan Mandash, league figures showed. The club will face Al-Ahli next in a fixture carried over from an earlier round. Al-Khaleej remained 13th on three points following the heavy home defeat.
Ronaldo reflected on the personal milestone in comments carried by outlets after the final whistle. “I am very, very happy. It’s a great achievement, but it’s not just Cristiano’s achievement,” he said. He added that the record would have been impossible without the contributions of his teammates and the consistent backing of the supporters throughout the campaign.
