Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted at halftime after Al-Nassr fell behind 2-0 against Al-Ettifaq, according to. The 41-year-old captain removed his armband and walked off the pitch visibly frustrated as manager Ange Postecoglou opted for a tactical shift that ultimately sparked a second-half comeback.
Al-Nassr Overcomes Early Red Card and Deficit Under Postecoglou
The Saudi Pro League match started poorly for the reigning champions when goalkeeper Bento received a straight red card in the 12th minute after an attempted clearance resulted in a collision with striker Moussa Dembélé. Al-Ettifaq capitalized before the break, with Ondrej Duda scoring in the 31st minute and Álvaro Medrán adding a second goal in the third minute of added time.
Television cameras captured Ronaldo showing clear agitation as he headed down the tunnel at halftime, having made his first start of the season following a summer campaign with Portugal. Postecoglou removed the forward at the interval, bringing on tactical changes that altered the match.
“In the second half, we showed courage, and I’m happy for them,” Postecoglou told reporters after the match. “I’m here to help the team with what I see, and everyone knows that Ronaldo hasn’t played in a long time. He performed exceptionally well in the first half, and we opted for a different approach.”
Second-Half Comeback Secures Victory
Postecoglou’s tactical gamble paid off immediately after the restart as Al-Nassr clawed back into the contest despite playing with 10 men in high humidity and difficult conditions. Former Liverpool star Sadio Mané scored in the 74th minute to cut the deficit, and Abdulelah Al-Amri leveled the score just three minutes later.
In the 91st minute, Mané broke through the defense on a through ball, leaving him one-on-one with the goalkeeper to seal a 3-2 victory for the league leaders. Postecoglou praised his squad’s resilience in his post-match comments, noting that the team capitalized on wing play after analyzing the first-half goals.
The win keeps Postecoglou’s side at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings with three victories from three matches, scoring 10 goals while conceding only two. Al-Nassr holds a two-point advantage over second-place Al-Ittihad ahead of their upcoming fixture against Al-Taawoun.
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