Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun live score, updates, highlights as Cristiano ...
Cristiano Ronaldo will hope to continue his goalscoring form as title-chasing Al Nassr face Al Taawoun in Riyadh on Friday
The Portuguese superstar netted four goals in the 4-0 win away at Al Wedha last time out bringing his overall total up to five league goals from three matches.
Al Nassr need a victory to move back to the top of the Saudi Pro League following Al Shabab's 2-0 victory over Abha.
Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun score 1H 2H FT Al Nassr 1 1 — Al Taawoun 0 1 —Goals:
Al Nassr - Ghareeb (17), Madu (79)
Al Taawoun - Medran (47)
The Sporting News is providing live updates and highlights from the match.
Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun live updates, highlights95 min: Al Nassr 2-1 Al Taiwan
The visitors recycle a corner but the shot from Medran is blocked by a defender before another shot is driven wide from outside the box. Less than five minutes for Al Nassr to hold on here.
93 min: Al Nassr 2-1 Al Taawoun
It's a case of now or never for Al Taawoun who have been the better side overall in this second half but are yet to really threaten during injury time. They have the chance to get the ball into the box from a deep free kick but the cross is too long.
90 min: Al Nassr 2-1 Al Taawoun
What a chance for the visitors to equalise!
Sumayhan Al-Nabit goes clean through on the right and lifts the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper but his attempt just goes wide of the far post. That was close.
There'll be NINE minutes of added time here in Riyadh.
84 min: Al Nassr 2-1 Al Taawoun
There'll be plenty of time added on in this one as that VAR decision for Al Nassr's second goal took around five minutes to make. Al Taawoun will still fancy their chances in grabbing a result given that they've been the better side throughout this second half.
79 min: GOOOAAALLL - Al Nassr 2-1 Al Taawoun (Abdullah Madu)
Al Nassr finally lead! The hosts play a corner short and the ball falls to Gustavo who strikes at goal. Ronaldo accidentally blocks his goalward attempt but Abdullah Madu is on hand to stroke home via the crossbar.
That took VAR absolutely ages to decide upon but it's a second assist of the night for Ronaldo.
— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) February 17, 202377 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
It's so close from Ronaldo! Talisca finds his teammate who dummies Naldo before striking straight at the goalkeeper from inside the penalty area. The pressure is building from the hosts now.
73 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
Mayhem in the Al Taawoun penalty area as Talisca first sees his shot blocked before Gustavo drives his attempt straight at a defender. The visitors survive.
71 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
It's another double change for Rudi Garcia's side as league topscorer Anderson Talisca joins the fun for Al Nassr.
He has 13 goals in 13 league matches so far this season and will be hoping to grab another here to send his side back to the summit of the Saudi Pro League.
69 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
Out of nowhere the visitors are ahead as the ball breaks kindly for Tawamba who holds off his man to find the bottom corner.
But wait! VAR intervene and deem that the Cameroonian striker offside. We stay level for now.
65 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
Al Nassr boss Rudi Garcia decides to make a double substitution as Gonzalo Martinez and Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem come on. The hosts have lacked real energy in the second half thus far.
They do have a couple more shots from distance soon after but the first is blocked whilst the second flies over the crossbar.
62 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
Ronaldo tries to get his side going with a dart down the left but he's twice tackled by defenders who halt his progress.
59 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
The visitors are the ones looking more likely to score again right now as they continue to dictate the play in the second half so far. Al Nassr can't get hold of the ball at all at present as Medran pulls the strings in midfield for Al Taawoun.
55 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
It's end to end stuff now in this match as both sides go in search of the lead.
There's also a couple of heavy tackles flying in - this clash could get tasty at this rate!
49 min: Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun
A huge chance for Ronaldo who is foiled at point blank range by the goalkeeper with a fantastic stop.
47 min: GOOOAAALLL - Al Nassr 1-1 Al Taawoun (Álvaro Medrán)
That didn't take long as the visitors equalise straight after half time!
The ball is played in deep from the right and there's Spaniard Álvaro Medrán at the back post to side foot home on the volley to level the game. The Al Nassr defence was nowhere to be seen.
— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) February 17, 202346 min: Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun
Ronaldo gets the second half underway in Riyadh.
The visitors make their first substitute of the match at the break as Sumayhan Al-Nabit enters the action.
Half-time: Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun
So far so good for Al Nassr who lead this Saudi Pro League clash at the break 1-0 and are currently leading the competition once again in the standings.
Ghareeb started the night ???? pic.twitter.com/yVMngj1Rlf
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 17, 2023The hosts took the lead through winger Abdulrahman Ghareeb who latched onto Ronaldo's fantastic pass to finish into the far corner with precision.
Al Nassr also had a huge penalty claim deep into first half injury time but the referee waved away their claims.
44 min: Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun
Sami Al-Najei tries a one-two on the edge of the box with Ronaldo but the Portuguese star just can't find him with the return.
41 min: Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun
The home side are doing a great job of keeping hold of the lead here in Riyadh. Al Taawoun have grown into this game substantially over the last ten minutes of play but so far are yet to have any big chances thanks to Al Nassr's solid defensive shape.
37 min: Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun
Al Nassr are pushing for another goal before the break here. After sustaining pressure on the Al Taawoun goal, Ronaldo can't latch onto a through ball and the visitors clear.
31 min: Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun
The visitors attack down the right through some wonderful play from Saad Al Nasser. He twice takes on his defender but his cross goes to waste. At the other end, Ronaldo strikes at goal but its held by the goalkeeper easily.
28 min: Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun
There's an almighty scramble in Al Nassr's box as the visitors push forward but Konan does just enough to turn the ball behind for an Al Taawoun corner.
The ball is delivered and Léandre Tawamba gets a shot off at the near post but it's saved and the subsequent danger is cleared soon after.
24 min: Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun
No real response yet from Al Taawoun who keep surrendering possession far too cheaply in midfield. They loft a few crosses into the Al Nassr box but Gustavo and then the goalkeeper deal with them easily.
17 min: GOAAAALLLLL - Al Nassr 1-0 Al Taawoun (Abdulrahman Ghareeb)
The hosts take the lead as they look to go back to the top of the Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo plays a lovely ball out wide to which Abdulrahman Ghareeb latches onto. He takes his time and slides the ball into the far corner and Al Nassr go 1-0 up just like that.
— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) February 17, 202312 min: Al Nassr 0-0 Al Taawoun
Ronaldo finds Ayman Yahya just outside the box but the latter can only strike wide from distance.
10 min: Al Nassr 0-0 Al Taawoun
Al Nassr are starting to grind into gear now, winning the midfield battles in particular. No more chances as of yet however.
6 min: Al Nassr 0-0 Al Taawoun
And just like that Al Nassr nearly take the lead through Ronaldo.
The Portuguese star picks up the ball on the edge of the area before spinning away from his man. He then unleashes a strike at goal which only narrowly misses the target.
5 min: Al Nassr 0-0 Al Taawoun
A fairly even opening five minutes with Al Taawoun starting this match brightly in particular. The away side have held most of the possession with the majority of this match being played in Al Nassr's half so far.
Ronaldo had the ball in the opposition's box but the experienced Naldo did well to deal with the situation.
1 min: Al Nassr 0-0 Al Taawoun
The visitors gets us underway here in Riyadh.
5 mins to KO: The two teams emerge from the tunnel.
Sun is set, and fans are raising ????☀️ pic.twitter.com/AFY1GjIeZ8
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 17, 202320 mins to KO: One Al Taawoun player that the Al Nassr defence will have to keep an eye on throughout this match is Spanish midfielder Álvaro Medrán. He could also cause problems for the hosts given he's struck four times so far this campaign.
40 mins to KO: Both sides take to the field for their warm ups and receive a warm welcome from the crowd at King Saud University Stadium in downtown Riyadh.
The vast majority will be hoping to see Al Nassr claim another vital victory today to move back to the top of the Saudi Pro League table.
1 hr to KO: Team news! As expected, Ronaldo leads the line for Al Nassr, though league top-scorer Anderson Talisca - who has 13 goals in 13 appearances this season - is on the bench. Luis Gustavo starts in the heart of midfield for the hosts whilst winger Ayman Yahya also gets the nod from manager Rudi Garcia.
???? || Starting lineup,@AlNassrFC vs #AlTaawoun pic.twitter.com/4VJVFlmRVp
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 17, 20231 hr 20 mins to KO: Not long now until team news is released by both sides for this Saudi Pro League clash.
Here's your kick-off time reminder from Al Nassr:
Friday Night ????#NassrDay ???? pic.twitter.com/8QZmS33zLQ
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 17, 20231hr 40 mins to KO: As mentioned before, Al Nassr have the chance to go back to the top of the Saudi Pro League if they can get the better of Al Taawoun today. That said, their only league defeat of the season so far came against this opposition so they'll need to be very wary of the danger the visitors pose.
2 hrs to KO: Cristiano Ronaldo has quickly found his feet in Saudi Arabia — can he follow up that four-goal salvo against Al Wehda to send Al Nassr top of the table again?
Last session before the game ???? pic.twitter.com/Yg27kDVLAU
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 16, 2023 Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun predicted lineupsAl Nassr boss Rudi Garcia has no fresh injury concerns ahead of this game with first choice goalkeeper David Ospina the only absentee with Nawaf Alaqidi continuing to deputise for the Colombian with Talisca back from a ban.
Al Nassr lineup (4-2-3-1): Nawaf Alaqidi (GK) — Sultan Al-Ghannam, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Abdullah Madu, Ghislain Konan — Luiz Gustavo, Abdullah Al-Khaibari — Jaloliddin Masharipov, Talisca, Abdulrahman Ghareeb — Cristiano Ronaldo
Al Taawoun are without two key players for this game, with Flavio Medeiros and Abdulmalik Al-Oyayari both out, but Sulaiman Hazazi is back following suspension.
Al Tawooun lineup (4-2-3-1): Mailson (GK) — Awn Al-Saluli, Naldo, Hassan Kadesh, Sulaiman Hazazi — Aschraf El Mahdioui, Álvaro Medrán — Fahad Alrashidi, Alejandro Romero, Sumayhan Al-Nabit — Léandre Tawamba
MORE: Al Nassr players, full squad and shirt numbers
Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun live stream, TV channelSSC (Saudi Sports Company) has been live streaming Al Nassr matches in English via its Twitter channel.
Local broadcasters in selected countries have the rights to televise or stream the Saudi Pro League, and fans in other countries can subscribe to streaming platform Shahid for complete coverage of the Roshn Saudi Pro League.
According to LiveSoccerTV, selected European countries will have local broadcasters carrying the match, while DirecTV Sports will bring it to Spanish-speaking South American countries.
MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo's salary in Saudi Arabia
TV channel Streaming Australia — Shahid Canada — Shahid Hong Kong — Shahid, myTV SUPER India — Shahid Malaysia Astro Supersport 3 Shahid, Astro Go, sooka New Zealand — Shahid Singapore — Shahid UK — Shahid USA — Shahid
