Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating night in Jeddah as Al-Nassr’s unbeaten Saudi Pro League run ended in dramatic fashion, falling 3–2 to Al-Ahli after a chaotic, ill-tempered contest packed with goals, red cards, and late controversy.
Updated: January 2, 2026
Final score: Al-Ahli 3–2 Al-Nassr
Venue: King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
Competition: Saudi Pro League 2025–26
Kick-off: January 2, 2026
How the match unfolded
Al-Ahli set the tone early and stunned the league leaders with a blistering start. Ivan Toney struck twice inside the opening 20 minutes, first finishing clinically in the seventh minute before doubling the advantage shortly after with another sharp effort inside the area.
Al-Nassr responded through centre-back Abdullah Al-Amri, who improbably hauled his side back into the contest with two goals of his own, scoring in the 31st and 44th minutes to level the match before half-time.
Just ten minutes into the second half, Merih Demiral restored Al-Ahli’s lead with a powerful finish from close range. From there, the game descended into a tense, stop-start battle marked by heavy challenges, repeated substitutions, and mounting pressure on the visitors.
Ronaldo’s missed moment
The defining image of the night came late in the match when Cristiano Ronaldo missed a clear opportunity to equalise. Presented with space inside the box, the Al-Nassr captain failed to bring the ball under control, allowing the chance to slip away as Al-Ahli defenders closed in.
It was the kind of moment Ronaldo has converted countless times throughout his career, and his visible disbelief summed up a rare off-night in front of goal. With Al-Nassr pushing desperately for a third, the miss proved decisive.
Late chaos and red cards
Tempers boiled over in stoppage time. Al-Ahli defender Ali Majrashi was sent off after receiving a red card deep into added time, while Al-Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Boushal was also dismissed moments later as the match spiralled into chaos.
Despite playing against ten men in the closing seconds, Al-Nassr were unable to carve out one final chance, and the final whistle confirmed a first league defeat of the season for the title favourites.
What the numbers say
Al-Nassr dominated possession with nearly 70 percent of the ball and attempted more shots overall, but Al-Ahli were sharper when it mattered. The hosts recorded seven shots on target to Al-Nassr’s four and defended their box aggressively under sustained pressure.
Full match statistics and official data are available via the ESPN match center .
Fans react: praise, criticism, disbelief
Social media reaction was immediate and intense. Clips of Ronaldo’s missed chance spread rapidly, with fans split between frustration and disbelief. Some supporters pointed to his rare miscontrol as the turning point, while others defended the veteran forward, noting the lack of support in the final third.
“That miss changes everything,” wrote one fan, while another commented: “You don’t expect Ronaldo to waste those.” Others aimed criticism more broadly at Al-Nassr’s midfield balance and late-game management.
Al-Ahli fans, meanwhile, celebrated a statement win, hailing Ivan Toney’s ruthless finishing and Demiral’s decisive goal as evidence their side can compete with the league’s biggest names.
What it means for the title race
Despite the defeat, Al-Nassr remain near the summit of the Saudi Pro League table, but their margin for error has narrowed. The loss offers renewed hope to chasing rivals and serves as a reminder that the title race is far from settled.
For Al-Ahli, this was more than three points — it was a declaration of intent. If they can replicate this intensity consistently, the top four race could take an unexpected turn in the weeks ahead.
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