Al Nassr lost heavily when Ronaldo was silent

Saudi Arabia Away team Al Nassr lost 0-3 to leaders Al Hilal in round 15 of the Saudi Pro League, while Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score for the second consecutive match.

Ronaldo had the ball in the net with a beautiful left-footed volley in the 72nd minute when the home team led 1-0, but the Al Nassr captain had his goal disallowed for offside. The semi-automatic offside technology then showed that he was not offside, but the referee ignored it and let play continue. The away team coach Luis Castro approached the referee with his phone to show him the image, but the situation did not change.

Apart from this situation, Ronaldo also had three shooting opportunities, but once he hit a defender, once was pushed away by the goalkeeper, and another time the ball hit the edge of the net. According to Sofascore , the 36-year-old striker only received 6.6 points in this match, the fourth lowest on the team.

Ronaldo (left) dribbles the ball during the match between Al Nassr and Al Hilal at King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh, round 15 of the Saudi Pro League on the evening of December 1, 2023. Photo: ANFC — Ronaldo (left) dribbles the ball during the match between Al Nassr and Al Hilal at King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh, round 15 of the Saudi Pro League on the evening of December 1, 2023. Photo: *ANFC*

Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan also made a controversial decision in the last minute, when he sent off centre-back Ali Al-Bulaihi. The player cupped his hands in the shape of a pipe and pointed them at the away fans in a mocking gesture. This behavior would normally be a yellow card, but Mr. Roldan decided to send Bulaihi off immediately. After the match, Bulaihi said: "We are still looking for Ronaldo. Maybe he is still in Luxembourg."

Ronaldo was also involved in a heated situation in the 89th minute, when Al Hilal was awarded a corner kick on the left. Midfielder Salem Al Dawsari crossed the ball to the near post for striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to head in, making it 2-0. Before finishing, Mitrovic used both hands to knock Ronaldo down, and the Portuguese captain also complained to the referee. However, Al Hilal's goal was still recognized.

Mitrovic added another goal in stoppage time to seal a 3-0 victory for the hosts. Earlier, in the 64th minute, another Serbian international, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, opened the scoring. The victory helped Al Hilal maintain their top spot, seven points ahead of second-placed Al Nassr.

Hoang An

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