Al-Nassr suffered a second consecutive Saudi Pro League defeat as Al-Qadsiah earned a 2-1 away win, despite a late Cristiano Ronaldo penalty. The result keeps Al-Nassr four points adrift of leaders Al-Hilal and extends Al-Qadsiah’s strong recent record in this fixture, leaving Al-Nassr frustrated after a dominant but wasteful display.
Al-Qadsiah have now beaten Al-Nassr in four straight league meetings, surpassing their three victories from the previous 15 clashes between the clubs. This latest success came despite Al-Nassr creating more chances and producing a higher expected goals figure, underlining how clinical Al-Qadsiah proved during key moments of the match.
Across the 90 minutes, Al-Qadsiah attempted only seven shots yet generated 1.76
expected goals. Al-Nassr finished with 13 efforts worth 2.27 expected goals but converted just once from the penalty spot. Ronaldo’s successful kick moved the forward to 14 league goals this season and 83 shots, the highest shot total in the Saudi Pro League.
Al-Nassr actually began on the front foot, pushing Al-Qadsiah back in the early stages. Kingsley Coman had a shot blocked inside the opening minute, then Koen Casteels reacted quickly to smother another close-range attempt. That early pressure faded, however, and Al-Qadsiah slowly gained confidence before the interval without managing to break the deadlock.
The breakthrough arrived six minutes after half-time following a decisive error. Nawaf Al Aqidi moved towards the left touchline but struck a casual clearance against Julian Quinones. Quinones reacted first to the rebound, chased the loose ball and finished calmly into an unguarded net, handing Al-Qadsiah a vital lead.
Al-Qadsiah then lost Casteels to injury, forcing an unscheduled change in goal after a lengthy stoppage. Replacement goalkeeper Ahmed Al Kassar had barely settled when the visitors struck again. Mateo Retegui’s effort was parried by Al Aqidi, but Nahitan Nandez followed up and drove the rebound in to make it 2-0.
Al-Nassr finally gained a lifeline on 81 minutes after a handball decision against Jehad Thikri inside the penalty area. Ronaldo stepped up and drove the spot-kick into the bottom corner with certainty. Al-Nassr pushed hard in the closing stages, with Coman heading wide, yet Al-Qadsiah held firm to secure all three points.
|!1 - 2 #_ pic.twitter.com/XTJm8rUoMp(@AlNassrFC) January 8, 2026
For Al-Nassr, this defeat underlines both ongoing defensive lapses and missed attacking chances, even with Ronaldo’s consistent scoring form. Al-Qadsiah, meanwhile, continue to prove awkward opponents, coupling defensive resilience with efficiency in front of goal, and their latest success deepens the pressure on Al-Nassr’s pursuit of Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League race.
