Al Nassr, missing key players Cristiano Ronaldo and Aymeric Laporte, had a tough time finding their rhythm in their opening match of the Saudi Pro League season. The game against Al Shorta at Al-Madina International Stadium ended in a draw, leaving Al Nassr fans feeling a mix of disappointment and relief.
The match started on a shaky note for Al Nassr. Goalkeeper Bento’s misplaced pass gifted Al Shorta a golden opportunity, but Mohamed Simakan’s timely intervention prevented a goal. Al Nassr eventually settled into the game and took the lead in the 14th minute thanks to a stunning finish by captain Sultan Al Ghannam. Otavio’s delightful pass set up the goal, with Al Ghannam calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
However, Al Shorta fought back and equalized in the 24th minute through Mohammed Dawood. The goal came after a mix-up between Simakan and Salem Al Nadji, allowing Dawood to fire a precise shot into the top corner. The drama continued as Al Shorta was awarded a penalty in the 40th minute after Simakan was judged to have fouled Dawood. However, a VAR review determined that the foul had occurred just outside the box, and the penalty was overturned.
Al Nassr started the second half strongly and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions. A first-time pass from Sadio Mane found Anderson Talisca in space, but his shot was saved by Ahmed Basil. Later, Talisca’s powerful long-range shot took a deflection and nearly found the back of the net, but narrowly missed the target.
Despite dominating possession and creating chances, Al Nassr couldn’t find a way past a determined Al Shorta defense. The visitors defended resolutely and held on for a valuable point.
Al Nassr will be looking to bounce back from this disappointing result in their next match, while Al Shorta will be aiming to build on their hard-earned draw.
