Al-Nassr moved closer to the Saudi Pro League title with a 2-0 win over Al-Ahli at Al-Awwal Park, in a match played under the shadow of fresh refereeing controversy.
The buildup had been dominated by comments from Ivan Toney, who questioned officiating in the Saudi Pro League and suggested decisions were favouring Al-Nassr during the title run-in. where he claimed clear penalties were denied and even said referees told players to “focus on the AFC” instead of the league, and when asked who benefits, he replied: “We know who. Who are we chasing?” Widely interpreted as a reference to Cristiano Ronaldo and today was the judgement day.
On the pitch, however, Cristiano Ronaldo once again proved decisive. His 76th-minute header broke a long deadlock before Kingsley Coman added a second late on to secure the result.
The victory lifts Al-Nassr eight points clear of second-placed Al-Hilal and 13 ahead of Al-Ahli, though both sides still have a game in hand.
Chances were limited for long stretches. Merih Demiral came closest early on for Al-Ahli, his header pushed wide by goalkeeper Bento, while efforts from distance failed to test either side consistently.
Al-Ahli thought they had taken the lead soon after the break when Riyad Mahrez found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Moments later, João Félix missed a clear opportunity at the other end, firing over from close range.
Félix remained central to Al-Nassr’s attacking play. His set-piece delivery eventually made the difference, finding Ronaldo, who guided a header into the far corner despite pressure on the line.
Al-Ahli struggled to respond, and the hosts sealed the result in the 90th minute when Kingsley Coman ran onto a through ball from Ayman Yahya and finished low past Edouard Mendy at the near post.
The match itself offered few clear openings, with Al-Nassr producing just 0.54 expected goals from seven shots compared to Al-Ahli’s 0.11 from four attempts, underlining a defensive display that has become central to their title push.
Al-Nassr have now kept 17 clean sheets in the league this season, their highest tally in a single campaign, including eight at home.
