Cristiano Ronaldo claims he is ‘happy to have scored his first goal in the Saudi Pro League’ after opening his account for Al-Nassr during their 2-2 draw to Al-Fateh on Friday.
Having signed for the club back in January on a sensational £175m-a-year contract, it took the Portuguese superstar three games to get off the mark, scoring a 93rd minute penalty to bring his team level in the match.
And it was a hard fought point for the away side, who now go level with Al-Shabab at the top of the Saudi Pro League thanks to Ronaldo’s spot-kick heroics.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal for Al-Nassr on Friday in a 2-2 draw vs Al-Fateh
The 37-year-old scored a dramatic 93rd minute penalty to halve the points in the match
But the former Man United man could have ended his duck for Al-Nassr a lot earlier in the match, with the Portuguese superstar having a goal ruled out in the first half for offside.
The hosts took the lead after 12 minutes, with Christian Tello capitalising on a well-worked cross, before Anderson Talisca, who would later be shown a red card, levelled for Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo provided a cool finish late on in the game to nullify Sofiane Bendebka’s second-half goal for Al-Fateh, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner took to Instagram after the game to praise his team for their efforts in a tough game.
Posting several photos of himself during the match, the former Real Madrid star wrote: ‘Happy to have scored my first goal in the Saudi league and great effort by whole team to achieve an important draw in a very difficult match!’
Ronaldo has played 90 minutes in each of the three games he’s played with Al-Nassr, with the side winning, losing and now drawing each of those games.
And while the five-time Champions League winner has only just moved to Saudi Arabia, it appears talk is already starting to build over his future.
According to SPORT, Al-Nassr coach Rui Garcia last week said: ‘Ronaldo is a positive addition as he helps disperse defenders.
‘He’s [Ronaldo] one of the best players in the world. He won’t finish his career at Al-Nassr, he’ll go back to Europe.’
His coach, Rui Garcia, claims Ronaldo will not end his career at Al-Nassr and will go to Europe
After a disappointing World Cup exit and falling out of favour at Manchester United, Ronaldo mutually terminated his contract with the Red Devils, before moving to Saudi Arabia.
Since the move, he has invited some of his old teammates, Harry Maguire, Casemiro and Raphael Varane out to watch Al-Nassr play.
While Manchester United’s schedule is looking pretty busy, with both domestic and European commitments starting to come thick and fast, Ronaldo could look to get on the scoresheet again on Thursday night as his side travel to play against Al-Wehda.
Cristiano Ronaldo finally breaks Al Nassr duck with first goal in Saudi Arabia
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal for Al Nassr with a late penalty to rescue a 2-2 draw against Al Fateh.
The 37-year-old Portugal international, a five-time Ballon D’Or winner, converted from the spot three minutes into added time despite earlier missing an open goal, having failed to score on his debut last month.
Ronaldo signed a two-and-half-year deal with Al Nassr in December, reported to be worth over 200 million euros ($216.54 million), and was appointed captain shortly after his arrival.
The former Manchester United star had scored a brace for an All-Star XI during a glamour friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in Saudi Arabia last month but was yet to break his duck for his club side.
Al Nassr now top the standings after 15 games, level on 34 points with second-placed Al Shabab but with a match in hand. They next travel to Al Wedha on Thursday.
Source: dailymail.co.uk; standard.co.uk
