Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr’s poor start in the new Saudi Pro League season have continued, losing their second straight match 2-0 to Al Taawoun at home.
All star players – Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Anderson Talisca, and Marcelo Brozovic – failed to find the back of the net for the big money spender Al Nassr.
A wide-open corner kick header from Cameroonian forward, Leandre Tawamba, in the 20th minute set the visitors on their way, and Al Taawoun’s five-man backline and sure-handed goalkeeper frustrated Ronaldo and Al Nassr all night, with substitute Ahmed Bahusayn sealing the result deep in stoppage time.
Al Nassr’s 2-1 loss on the opening weekend to Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq was attributed to the fact that many of their star players were given a rest after winning the Arab Club Champions Cup 48 hours earlier. But they were all back on the field and still came up short of expectation against an Al Taawoun side that executed a perfect game plan of defending in numbers and counter-attacking through speedy Brazilian winger Mateus.
Al Nassr struggled to find a flow to their attack, outshooting Al Taawoun 24-8, but only getting five shots on target compared to the visitors’ six.
Anderson Talisca missed on a couple of headers in the box, Sadio Mane had a goal disallowed, there was a late goal-line clearance, Cristiano Ronaldo slammed a ball against the post from an offside position, and Marcelo Brozovic fired right at the ‘keeper on a frustrating night for the home team.
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