Joao Felix struck an hour in to give Al Nassr a 1-0 win over Neom in the Saudi Pro League after Cristiano Ronaldo missed a first-half penalty. The result lifts Ange Postecoglou’s side to 22 points and third place, three behind leaders Al Qadsiah.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Ronaldo was playing for the first time since Portugal’s federation handed him a 30-day suspension for his camp walkout, and a home game against Neom offered a chance to move on. Instead it became a night of near misses at Al-Awwal Park, rescued in the end by a long-range strike from Felix.
A penalty that went begging
Al Nassr could not find a way through before the interval until stoppage time, when a foul in the area sent the referee to the VAR screen and the decision went the hosts’ way. Ronaldo took responsibility, in the sixth minute of added time, and dragged his spot-kick wide of the left post. The teams went in level at 0-0.
The miss kept Ronaldo on 981 career goals, the tally he reached against Neftchi Fergana last week, and it was not the end of his frustration.
Chances keep slipping away
Within three minutes of the restart Ronaldo found himself in front of a gaping goal and sent the chance over the bar. Another effort drifted wide in the 70s. Neom were not simply spectators, either. Alexandre Lacazette saw a header strike the woodwork as the visitors threatened to punish Al Nassr’s profligacy.
Felix settles it
Felix supplied the answer in the 61st minute. Picking the ball up on the edge of the penalty area, he drove a right-footed shot into the top of the net. Al Nassr had waited a long time for a goal, and this one ended a night that had threatened to go badly wrong. Ronaldo had scored in recent weeks in the win over Diriyah and the Neftchi game, but this time the goal came from elsewhere.
Neom came within inches of an equaliser shortly after, but Al Nassr held on for a result that mattered more than the performance. Postecoglou said afterwards that he was pleased first of all with the three points against a well-organised defensive side.
What it means for the table
The win takes Al Nassr to 22 points from nine matches, third in the standings. Al Qadsiah, who beat Al Taawoun 1-0 earlier on Tuesday through a Tijjani Reijnders goal in added time, lead with 25 points from ten games, so Al Nassr hold a game in hand on them. Neom stay sixth on 16 points.
Al Nassr’s next league test is away at Al Faisaly on Friday 23 October, a chance for Ronaldo to add to his goal tally and for Postecoglou to turn a narrow win into momentum.
Result: Al Nassr 1 (Joao Felix 61′) Neom 0. Half-time: 0-0. Ronaldo missed a penalty in first-half stoppage time.
Competition: Saudi Pro League, round 10, Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh, Tuesday 20 October 2026.
