João Félix Lifts Al-Nassr Past Neom as Cristiano Ronaldo Misses Penalty

Al-Nassr earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Neom on Tuesday in the tenth round of the Saudi Pro League at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh. Portuguese forward João Félix provided the decisive moment of the match in the second half, securing all three points for his team in a game where his compatriot and teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, struggled in front of goal.

The breakthrough arrived in the 65th minute when Brazilian winger Ângelo delivered a swift pass to João Félix. The forward unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box that flew high into the net, leaving the opposing goalkeeper with no chance of making a save. João Félix was later substituted during stoppage time after a strong performance.

Before the opening goal, Al-Nassr had a golden opportunity to take the lead just before halftime. Following a VAR review that penalized a foul by Al Dossary on João Félix, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take the penalty kick in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time. However, the veteran star sent his shot wide of the target, keeping the score level going into the break.

Ronaldo faced further frustration throughout the match. In another notable sequence, Sadio Mané headed a cross toward the center of the box, finding Ronaldo practically at the goal line. The forward failed to convert, missing an opportunity that he would normally finish with ease. His performance quickly drew widespread attention on social media for uncharacteristic misses.

Following the final whistle, Al-Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou offered comfort to Ronaldo, who appeared visibly discouraged by his performance on the pitch. The match marked the 1,369th appearance of Ronaldo's professional career, leaving him with 981 career goals as he continues his pursuit of the historic 1,000-goal milestone.

With this crucial win, Al-Nassr climbed to the third position in the Saudi Pro League standings, accumulating 22 points after ten matches. The team sits three points behind league leaders Al-Qadsiah, while Al-Hilal occupies second place with 24 points.

On the other side, Neom remains in sixth place in the league table with 16 points. Despite fielding players such as French forward Alexandre Lacazette and putting up a competitive fight, the visitors were unable to recover after João Félix's second-half strike.