PRESSBEE - News
source : PRESSBEE ( Middle East ) 53 minute (Tuesday 01/08/2023 - 08:58 AM ) 24 Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of the season to help earn Al-Nassr their first competitive win of the new campaign against Monastir on Monday night.
Al-Nassr were held to a stalemate in their first Arab Club Champions Cup match on Friday after a disappointing pre-season.
And they were drifting towards another uninspiring draw before Ronaldo popped up with a trademark bullet header in the 74th minute against Tunisian outfit Monastir to make it 2-1.
Ronaldo met a good cross from the right at the back post and gave the keeper no chance.
The recent Tunisian championship finished just a few weeks ago, where Monastir performed as expected, topping Group B in regular phase. But they still finished fourth in the championship round, a whopping eight points adrift of champions Etoile Sahel.
They were demolished 4-0 by Zamalek in their first Arab Club Champions Cup game. The Egyptian team dominated from the start, so it is no wonder Monastir come into this game as underdogs.
The Knights of Najd played out a disappointing 0-0 draw against Al-Shabab in their group opener. Head coach Luis Castro introduced his star forwards, Ronaldo and Talisca in the second half, but neither were able to turn the tide, as Al-Nassr settled for a point.
Ronaldo almost scored again from another header moments later but he was denied by a sharp save, before Abdulelah Al-Amri pounced to convert the rebound.
Teenager Abdulaziz Saud Al Elewai then completed the rout in the 90th minute.
Monday's game came three days after Al Nassr had started their Arab Club Champions Cup campaign with a 0-0 draw against fellow Saudi side Al-Shabab.
A frustrated Ronaldo squirted water at a cameraman following that stalemate.
But the 38-year-old appeared to be in a much better mood after his side's convincing victory over USM.
The Saudi Arabian side added two more in the latter stages as they got their new season up and running.
Ronaldo had missed a golden chance to score earlier in the game when Monastir gave the ball away on the edge of their area.
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