Without Ronaldo, Al Nassr Secures a Hard-Fought Victory

Al Nassr secured a thrilling 1-0 victory against NEOM with a late stoppage-time goal, thereby extending their winning streak to 11 matches and continuing to hold a solid lead at the summit of the Saudi Pro League.

Al Nassr continued to display impressive form in the Saudi Pro League by defeating NEOM SC 1-0 with a stoppage-time goal. Center-back Mohamed Simakan became the hero by scoring the decisive goal, helping the home team at Al-Awwal Park extend their winning streak to 11 consecutive matches.

In this match, Al Nassr was without the services of Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese superstar suffered a hamstring injury. Nevertheless, the squad under coach Jorge Jesus entered the game with high determination to protect their leading position in the standings.

The first half proceeded cautiously as both teams struggled to create clear opportunities. The most notable chance for Al Nassr came in the 18th minute when Sadio Mane unleashed a dangerous shot, forcing NEOM goalkeeper Luis Maximiano to make a diving save.

Moving into the second half, the home team increased pressure to find the opening goal. However, Al Nassr's attackers lacked precision in their final shots. Joao Felix couldn't make a difference inside the box, and Kingsley Coman also failed to beat goalkeeper Maximiano.

Meanwhile, NEOM nearly caused a surprise in the 71st minute. Rayane Messi had a golden opportunity inside the box, but his lob shot hit the crossbar, leaving the visiting team disappointed. Al Nassr responded just minutes later when Marcelo Brozovic fired a long-range shot that struck the post. Shortly after, NEOM also almost scored when Said Benrahma's shot hit the woodwork in a quick counterattack.

When the match seemed destined to end in a draw, the turning point arrived in the 95th minute. From Joao Felix's free kick, Mohamed Simakan rushed in to head home from close range, scoring the only goal of the match. This dramatic victory allowed Al Nassr to maintain their 11-match winning streak in the Saudi Pro League and continue to hold the top spot, leading the chasing team Al Ahli by two points.