RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr’s pursuit of the Saudi Pro League title suffered another significant setback Thursday as a 2-1 home defeat to Al Qadsiah tightened the pressure on the club ahead of a pivotal Riyadh Derby against league leader Al Hilal.
The loss marked Al Nassr’s second consecutive league defeat and left the club second in the standings on 31 points, four behind Al Hilal, with momentum clearly shifting at a critical stage of the 2025-26 season. For Al Qadsiah, the victory represented one of its most high-profile results of the campaign, built on clinical finishing, disciplined defending and capitalizing on costly errors.
Julian Quiñones and Nahitan Nández scored for Al Qadsiah, while Ronaldo converted a late penalty for Al Nassr, his goal ultimately proving insufficient to halt a worrying slide in form for a team widely tipped as a title favorite.
Playing in front of a loud home crowd at Al Awwal Park, Al Nassr began with urgency and territorial dominance, pressing high and probing early for an opening. Despite the early initiative, Al Qadsiah, coached by Brendan Rodgers, set up with a compact defensive structure, absorbing pressure and limiting clear chances.
The visitors nearly struck first in the 30th minute when Quiñones met a cross with a well-timed half-volley, only for Al Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Alaqidi to react sharply and block the effort straight at him. It was an early warning that Al Nassr’s dominance in possession was not translating into defensive security.
Al Nassr’s best chance of the first half came shortly before the break. Angelo Gabriel delivered a teasing cross to the far post, where Kingsley Coman arrived unmarked. The French winger attempted a first-time finish from close range but failed to keep his effort on target, squandering what proved to be a costly missed opportunity.
The match turned decisively six minutes into the second half following a glaring error from Alaqidi. Racing off his line to clear a through ball, the goalkeeper attempted to chip the ball away but instead struck Quiñones. The deflection sent the Al Qadsiah forward clean through on goal, and with the net unguarded, Quiñones calmly chased the ball down and slotted it home. Alaqidi’s desperate recovery attempt came too late as the ball crossed the line.
Buoyed by the opening goal, Al Qadsiah briefly faced adversity when goalkeeper Koen Casteels was forced off injured after a collision with Angelo while contesting a loose ball. The setback did little to disrupt the visitors’ rhythm.
Al Qadsiah doubled its lead in the 66th minute after Quiñones again played a central role. Winning possession on the right flank, he drove forward before cutting the ball back to Mateo Retegui. Alaqidi produced a strong save to deny Retegui’s first-time shot, but the rebound fell kindly to Nández, who rifled the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-0.
The goal stunned the home crowd and left Al Nassr facing the prospect of another damaging defeat just days before its showdown with Al Hilal. The hosts were handed a lifeline in the 80th minute when VAR reviewed an incident involving Al Qadsiah defender Jehad Thakri and ruled that he had handled the ball inside the penalty area.
The decision sparked angry protests from the visiting players, with Nández booked for dissent, but Ronaldo remained unmoved. The Portugal star stepped up and sent the ball into the bottom left corner with a measured finish following his trademark stuttering run-up.
With the fourth official signaling 11 minutes of added time, Al Nassr surged forward in search of an equalizer. The home side pushed numbers into attack, but Al Qadsiah held firm, maintaining its defensive shape and repelling a series of late crosses and set pieces to secure all three points.
Beyond the immediate result, the defeat raises broader questions about Al Nassr’s consistency and resilience in high-pressure moments. Despite boasting one of the league’s most star-studded squads, the team has now dropped points in back-to-back matches, allowing Al Hilal to open a commanding gap at the top.
For Ronaldo, the match underscored both his enduring influence and the limits of individual brilliance. While he once again delivered when called upon from the penalty spot, Al Nassr’s struggles stemmed from defensive lapses and missed chances elsewhere on the pitch.
Looking ahead, Monday’s Riyadh Derby looms as a defining moment in the title race. A loss would leave Al Nassr with a steep uphill climb, while a victory could reignite its challenge and shift momentum back in its favor. Al Qadsiah, meanwhile, will take confidence from a disciplined performance that showcased its ability to compete with — and defeat — the league’s elite.
As the Saudi Pro League season gathers pace, Al Nassr’s margin for error is narrowing rapidly, and the pressure on Ronaldo and his teammates continues to intensify with each dropped point.
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