Al Nassr Win Without Captain Cristiano Ronaldo Starting Through a Late Aymeric Laporte Goal
Al Nassr had to see off Damac without their inform captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who has six goals in his last two games, starting the game. A late Aymeric Laporte strike was enough to secure the three points.
Al Nassr started the game brightly and Ali Lajami almost made it 0-1 in the 3rd minute but his effort fell inches wide. Damac, who came into the game on a three match winless streak, struggled to make any in roads inside Al Nassr territory in the first half.
Al Nassr remained dominant during the entire game, maintaining firm control with their 65.3% possession. A Marcelo Brozovic freekick found Aymeric Laporte in the first half but the defender failed to turn it into goal.
With Sadio Mane and Sultan Al Ghannam coming on in the second half, Al Nassr looked promising but an immediate Mane pass found Meshari Al Nemer who failed to keep his shot on target. Cristiano Ronaldo finally entered the pitch in the 65th minute and immediately set up Ghareeb who was unlucky to hit the crossbar. Twenty minutes later his shot got past Damac’s goalkeeper but defender Abdelkader Bedrane was there to prevent a sure goal.
In the first minute of injury time, a Brozovic cross found Aymeric Laporte who made no mistakes this time when he headed the ball into the net to make it 1-0. The win makes it four wins in the last four for the title chasers who still remain 12 points behind leaders Al Hilal who dont look like faltering.
