Al-Nassr continued their impressive start to the Saudi Pro League season with a 5-0 thrashing of Al-Fateh on Friday night, thanks to a sensational performance by their star duo Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich winger Mane opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a clever lob over the goalkeeper, after receiving a sublime backheel assist from Ronaldo. The Portuguese legend then doubled the lead in the 37th minute with a powerful header from a corner.
The second half saw more of the same dominance by Al-Nassr, as Ronaldo completed his hat-trick with two more goals in the 56th and 78th minutes, both from close range. Mane also added his second goal in the 68th minute with a low shot from the edge of the box.
The pair celebrated their goals by copying each other’s signature moves, with Mane doing Ronaldo’s ‘Siu’ scream and Ronaldo doing Mane’s thumb-sucking gesture. The fans at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium were delighted by their chemistry and skill.
Al-Nassr are now top of the table with nine points from three games, scoring 12 goals and conceding none. They have also attracted worldwide attention for their ambitious signings, including Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, Brazil full-back Alex Telles and Ivory Coast midfielder Seko Fofana.
Mane joined Al-Nassr earlier this month for a reported fee of £35 million, after a disappointing season at Bayern Munich where he clashed with his teammate Leroy Sane. Ronaldo joined the club in December last year for a record-breaking £120 million, after leaving Juventus.
Both players have expressed their happiness at playing for Al-Nassr and praised their manager Thomas Tuchel for his tactical acumen and man-management. They have also vowed to help the club win their first Saudi Pro League title since 2019 and make an impact in the Asian Champions League.
