Saudi Pro League: Own goal helps Al Nassr beat Al Taawoun, leaving Ronaldo and Co. five points behind leader Al Hilal

An own goal helped Al Nassr beat Al Taawoun 1-0 at Al-Awwal Park on Monday and make it three consecutive wins in the Saudi Pro League.

Mohammed Al Dossari headed the ball into his own net in the closing minutes of the first half as Al Nassr closed the gap on leaders Al Hilal to five points after the latter were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Riyadh on Sunday.

Al Nassr started the match with a spark and Cristiano Ronaldo almost gave his side the lead in the second minute. However, his close-range volley rattled the crossbar, denying the Portuguese striker his seventeenth goal of the season.

AS IT HAPPENED | AL NASSR VS AL TAAWOUN HIGHLIGHTS, SAUDI PRO LEAGUE

A minute later, Ronaldo turned supplier and found Mohamed Simakan from a set piece. The centre-back did well to head the ball into the back of the net, but his celebration was cut short after a VAR check showed he was offside.

The home side finally took the lead in the 45th minute with Sadio Mane in the centre, in his first match after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal. The 33-year-old curled the ball invitingly into the penalty area, where Dossari desperately tried to head the ball out of danger, but ultimately gave Al Nassr the winning goal.

Mane almost doubled his side’s lead 13 minutes into the second half with a curling effort from inside the penalty area. This time, however, the ball ended up on the right post, much to the dismay of the home fans.

Ultimately, Al Nassr managed to maintain the small lead and take all three points.

Published on January 27, 2026