Al-Nassr picked up a crucial 1-0 away win over Al Riyadh, with Sadio Mane’s first-half goal proving enough to separate the sides in a match that was without Cristiano Ronaldo.
The hosts made an energetic start and were first to threaten inside the opening ten minutes. A set-piece routine nearly caught Al-Nassr out when Sergio Gonzalez met Toze’s delivery with a left-footed effort that struck the crossbar, offering an early warning to the visitors.
Joao Felix was central to much of Al-Nassr’s attacking play during the opening half, repeatedly finding pockets of space between the lines. He tested Milan Borjan twice from distance, though both efforts were saved comfortably. Sadio Mane also had an early sight of goal following a corner, but his close-range attempt drifted narrowly wide.
The breakthrough arrived in the 40th minute following Al-Nassr’s most fluid move of the half. Félix threaded a well-weighted through ball into the penalty area, splitting the Al Riyadh defence.
Mane timed his run well, took the ball in stride, and finished low into the bottom-left corner with his right foot.
Al Riyadh attempted to respond before the interval, pushing bodies forward and continuing to look dangerous from wide areas, but they went into the break a goal behind.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Al Riyadh applying pressure without creating a clear opening. They won a series of corners and advanced free kicks, but Al-Nassr’s defensive line held firm, with Mohamed Simakan and Iñigo Martinez dealing with aerial deliveries. Borjan’s opposite number was rarely tested, though Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Felix both missed opportunities to extend the lead on the break.
Al-Nassr had chances to put the game beyond reach midway through the second half. Sultan Al Ghannam struck the post with a close-range header following a corner, while Mane saw a shot blocked after good work down the right. Those misses kept Al Riyadh in contention and encouraged the hosts to commit more players forward.
The closing stages were tense. Al Riyadh pushed men into the box and forced several late corners, including one deep into stoppage time.
A potential penalty appeal involving Mane was reviewed by VAR in the 97th minute, but no spot-kick was awarded, much to the relief of the visitors.
Despite Al Riyadh’s persistence, clear chances were limited, with Yoann Barbet’s late header drifting just wide representing their closest effort after the break.
Al-Nassr managed the final moments carefully, using substitutions to slow the tempo and protect their advantage.
