Ronaldo scores in first game since Portugal walkout as Al Nassr beat Al Diriyah 3-0 to draw level at the top

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his first match since walking out of the Portugal camp with a goal, as Al Nassr beat Al Diriyah 3-0 in the Saudi Pro League on Friday, 9 October. The win at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh lifted Al Nassr to 19 points after eight matches, level with leaders Al Qadsiah, who stay top on goal difference. The game kicked off at 9pm Riyadh time, 2am on Saturday in Malaysia.

How the goals came

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah could only parry a shot from Kingsley Coman, and the 41-year-old was first to the rebound to finish from close range. The goal stood after a VAR check for a possible offside against Sadio Mané in the build-up.

Midfielder Samu Costa doubled the lead in the 35th minute, heading in a corner from João Félix. Coman then completed the scoring in the 77th minute, running onto a through ball from Mané and beating Abdullah.

The goal is widely reported as Ronaldo's 980th in senior football, leaving him 20 short of the 1,000 mark he has long been chasing.

The Portugal row in the background

The match came at the end of a turbulent fortnight for Ronaldo on international duty. He was an unused substitute in Portugal's 2-1 Nations League win away to Norway on 27 September and then left the squad in Copenhagen on the eve of the match against Denmark.

On 7 October he posted a statement of close to 2,000 words on Instagram. In it he said he was not retiring from international football and claimed that coach Jorge Jesus, his former manager at Al Nassr, had promised him 30 minutes against Norway. He apologised to his teammates and to fans, said he had left because he felt his presence would harm the group, and invited the Portuguese federation to punish him. Jesus has denied making any such agreement, and Ronaldo's international future remains unclear.

Title race tightens

The top of the table is now very close. After Friday's games, Al Qadsiah and Al Nassr each have 19 points from eight matches, with Al Qadsiah's goal difference of +13 one better than Al Nassr's +12. Al Hilal are third on 18 points from seven games and can go top if they beat Al Ittihad in Saturday's derby at Kingdom Arena. Al Diriyah remain ninth.

What's next for Al Nassr

Al Nassr return to the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday, 12 October, when they host Uzbek side Neftchi Fergana in Riyadh. That match falls in the early hours of Tuesday morning in Malaysia.

Key takeaways

• Al Nassr beat Al Diriyah 3-0 with goals from Ronaldo (23'), Samu Costa (35') and Kingsley Coman (77').
• It was Ronaldo's first match since he left the Portugal squad during the international break.
• His goal is widely reported as the 980th of his senior career.
• Al Nassr and Al Qadsiah both have 19 points, with Al Hilal one behind with a game in hand.
• Al Nassr host Neftchi Fergana in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday.

FAQ

Did Ronaldo score against Al Diriyah? Yes. He scored the opening goal in the 23rd minute, following up after Kingsley Coman's shot was parried.

Why did Ronaldo leave the Portugal camp? He said in a statement that coach Jorge Jesus had promised him playing time against Norway and did not use him, and that he felt staying would harm the group. Jesus denies the claims.

Where are Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League table? They are second on 19 points from eight games, level with leaders Al Qadsiah but behind on goal difference.

Sources: Goal, 101 Great Goals, The Sports Encounter, Sky Sports