Dream Start for Pioli as Cristiano Ronaldo Dedicates the 3-0 Victory Over Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq to Al Nassr’s Fans
It was a night to remember for Al Nassr fans and their new manager, Stefano Pioli, as they won 3-0 away to Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq, who tasted defeat for the first time this season.
Steven Gerrard’s charges have had a decent start to the season prior to the Al Nassr encounter, winning all three of their opening fixtures, scoring four goals, and only letting in a solitary goal. However, their luck turned on Friday night when they hosted Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, who’ve had a rough start to their 2024-25 Saudi Pro League season that saw manager Luis Castro replaced by Stefano Pioli.
Prior to the contest, Al Nassr had managed a single win and drawn twice in the SPL. However, the new manager bounce worked in their favor as Pioli tasted victory in his first match in charge.
After fighting off a viral infection that saw him miss out on the AFC Champions League 1-1 contest against Al Shorta, Ronaldo was back in the starting lineup and marked it with a well-taken penalty in the 33rd minute. After the match, Cristiano took to social media to dedicate the win to the Al Nassr fans. Posting on his X (formerly Twitter) account, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said, “Great team effort! Big win tonight—this one’s for the fans!”
Ronaldo’s goal was the only one in the first half, but Al Nassr were determined to put the game to bed. In the 56th minute, Sadio Mane assisted Salem Al Najdi, who, despite the difficult angle, slotted home to make it 2-0. Sadio Mane was, again, the creator when he assisted Anderson Talisca in the 70th minute to confirm the victory for the visitors and ascendency on the Saudi Pro League table.
Pioli will be in high spirits after the win, seeing his side rise to 5th on the table, a point behind second-placed Al Ittihad and four points behind leaders Al Hilal. With Al Nassr looking to secure silverware this season, Pioli will be keen to keep narrowing the gap between his charges and the league leaders.
