In a second game in a row, Al-Nassr’s team suffered a defeat and Cristiano Ronaldo walked off the field, visibly frustrated and crying out in despair. The team lost 0-2 to Al-Taawon, managed by Álvaro Medrán. This is the second consecutive defeat in the league for Luis Castro and his men.
The locals were the favourites, given the all-star package Al-Nassr possesses, capable of winning the Saudi Pro League and overwhelmingly dominating most Arab teams. However, Al-Taawon, without big names, managed to take the lead and even keep a clean sheet.
Cristiano, Mané, Talisca and company seemed to lack precision in front of goal. None of them managed to convert their teammates’ crosses and they only generated a ‘uyyy’ in the stands with their missed chances. Mané was the most active, trying insistently on the sides, with good handling of the ball and dribbling which did not find a finisher.
As for Cristiano, he was constantly surrounded by three opposing defenders throughout the game. The Portuguese astro, isolated, became more and more frustrated, both in the first half and at the end of the meeting. He was furious, putting on an angry face and shouting at the referee and his teammates.
The first half was difficult for Luis Castro’s team. The players seemed disconnected and failed to worry keeper Mailson. Moreover, in the 18th minute, they conceded a hard goal: Al-Taawon scored with a header from a corner kick. Thus, the visiting team took the lead thanks to Cameroonian striker Tawamba.
From then on, Al-Nassr sought to recover from the blow by storming the opposing box. However, the imbalance needed to change the score never came. Ball possessions were long but without any real danger. Only a foul on Fofana was called as a penalty, providing a moment of joy for the hosts, but the referee eventually overturned the decision after consulting VAR.
Al-Taawon comes out “miraculously” and seals the fate of the match. The general inertia displayed by Al-Nassr in the first half seemed to change in the second half. Luis Castro’s players returned to the field with an extra notch, perhaps thanks to the instructions given in the locker room during the break. They were better than their opponents, creating very clear chances, and Mané even scored a goal which was canceled. But Al-Taawon managed to seal the fate of the match by scoring in counter-attack in stoppage time.
Thus, Cristiano Ronaldo’s side again failed to score points, recording a second straight loss and displaying a much different image than they showed when they won the Arab Club Champions Cup this summer.
Suggested catchy title: “Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo lack efficiency in front of goal: a second consecutive defeat in the league”
2023-08-18 23:44:40
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