SPL: RONALDO SCORES 980TH CAREER GOAL AS AL-NASSR BEAT DIRIYAH 3-0
Read Time:1 Minute, 51 Second
By ‘Sefiu Ajape
Cristiano Ronaldo moved to within 20 goals of reaching 1,000 career goals after scoring in Al-Nassr’s 3-0 victory over Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
The 41-year-old Portuguese captain opened the scoring in the 23rd minute at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, reacting quickest to a rebound after goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah parried Kingsley Coman’s powerful effort.
The goal took Ronaldo’s career tally for club and country to 980, marking another step towards the historic milestone. It was also his fourth league goal of the season.
Al-Nassr doubled their lead in the 35th minute when Samú Costa headed home João Félix’s corner, giving the hosts a comfortable advantage at half-time.
Coman completed the scoring in the 77th minute, finishing off a swift counterattack initiated by Sadio Mané, according to the match details supplied.
The victory marked Ronaldo’s return to club football following a turbulent international break with Portugal, during which he left the national team’s camp amid reports of a disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo subsequently addressed the situation in a statement, reaffirming his commitment to continuing his international career with Portugal.
His return to Al-Nassr shifted attention back to his pursuit of the 1,000-goal landmark, which has become a major talking point in the latter stages of his career.
Al-Nassr entered the fixture with 16 points from their opening seven matches, with the victory boosting their position in the Saudi Pro League title race.
Fans welcomed Ronaldo with a tribute bearing the message “CR7, LA GRANDEZA SE MERECE” and chanted his name in the seventh minute of his first appearance since the controversy involving Portugal’s national team.
The Spanish message translates to “CR7 deserves greatness,” as supporters rallied behind the forward.
Ronaldo is expected to return to action on Monday when Al-Nassr face Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Farg‘ona in the AFC Champions League Two, as he continues his pursuit of 1,000 career goals.
His latest strike offered another reminder of his continued scoring output as he closes in on a milestone that would mark a significant achievement in football history, TalkSport reported.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0