Al-Nassr defeats Al-Hazm 4-0 and snatches the lead in the Saudi Professional League
In an exceptional football match held at Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, Al-Nassr FC reclaimed the top spot in the Saudi Professional League after a resounding and well-deserved 4-0 victory over Al-Hazm. This match, part of the 23rd round of fixtures, coincided with the Kingdom's National Day celebrations, adding a festive atmosphere to the stands and the players' performance.
A fiery start and the brilliance of the new stars
Al-Nassr entered the match with clear attacking intentions from the first minute, capitalizing on home advantage and the support of their fans to impose their control on the game. They didn't take long to translate this dominance into goals, as the 13th minute witnessed the first moment of brilliance in the match. Star player João Félix delivered a magical through ball that broke the offside trap, leaving Cristiano Ronaldo one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Ronaldo unleashed a rocket of a shot that nestled into the left corner of Ibrahim Zayed's net, giving Al-Nassr the lead.
Al-Nasr continued their intense attacking pressure, and Joao Felix returned to practice his hobby of playmaking, providing another decisive pass in the 30th minute, this time to his teammate Kingsley Coman, who exploited his speed to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper and cleverly placed the ball low into the net, so that Al-Nasr ended the first half with a comfortable lead of two clean goals, amid the collapse of Al-Hazm’s defenses.
Second half: A display of strength and a battle for the lead
In the second half, Al-Nassr weren't content with the scoreline; they continued their dominant performance. In the 77th minute, Angelo produced a moment of brilliance, weaving through Al-Hazm's defense before unleashing a perfectly placed shot past goalkeeper Zayed to score the third goal. Just before the final whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo, the "Madeira Rocket," returned to make his mark, scoring his second goal of the match and Al-Nassr's fourth in the 79th minute, completing the rout.
The importance of winning and its impact on the title race
This victory holds immense significance beyond the mere three points; it comes at a crucial juncture in the league, as the title race intensifies between Riyadh's two giants. With this win, Al-Nassr has raised its points tally to 55, seizing first place and the top spot from its traditional rival, Al-Hilal, thus placing considerable psychological pressure on its competitors in the remaining rounds. This upward trajectory of Al-Nassr's performance underscores the team's readiness to compete for all domestic and continental titles this season.
On the other hand, this loss deepened the wounds of Al-Hazm team, whose tally froze at 24 points, dropping to twelfth place, which puts it in a critical situation that requires a quick technical review to avoid entering the downward spiral as the league approaches its decisive stages.
