Ronaldo scores, misses penalty as Al Nassr beat Khaleej 2-0
RIYADH — Cristiano Ronaldo bounced back from a missed penalty to score from the spot in stoppage time, helping Al Nassr secure a 2-0 home win over Al Khaleej on Wednesday night in Saudi Pro League Round 33 action.
Returning to the starting lineup after a two-game absence, Ronaldo struck late to seal the win after Colombian forward Jhon Duran had opened the scoring in the 75th minute with a well-placed header.
The victory keeps Al Nassr in fourth place on 67 points, preserving their hopes of qualifying for next season's Saudi Super Cup, while Al Khaleej remain ninth with 37 points.
Ronaldo endured a frustrating moment earlier in the match when his 65th-minute penalty crashed against the right post and out of play, leaving the Portuguese star visibly disappointed.
The penalty had been awarded after a foul inside the area as Al Nassr ramped up pressure in search of a breakthrough.It wasn't until the 75th minute that Duran, who has been in strong form since his arrival, broke the deadlock with a powerful header.Ronaldo then made amends in added time, converting a second spot-kick to take his league tally to 24 goals, putting him back atop the scoring chart with one round remaining.Al Khaleej had their moments in the first half, most notably when Mohamed Sherif squandered a clear one-on-one chance in the 40th minute.With the win, Al Nassr stay within striking distance of a Super Cup berth and look to finish the season on a high in their final league match.
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