Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — In a stunning turn of events, Al Taawoun’s players scripted a historic win by defeating the star-studded Al Nassr team with a scoreline of 2-0 during the second round of the Saudi Pro League.

This victory has left many questioning the performance of Al Nassr. led by coach Castro, as they faced their second consecutive defeat in the league.

Al Nassr had previously stumbled in their opening match, losing 2-1 to Al Ittifaq, and notably missing key players Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo Brozovic, Sico Fofana, and Alex Telles due to post-title exhaustion following their Arab Club Championship triumph.

Despite the return of these star players, except for the recent addition of left-back Telles from Manchester United, Al Nassr appeared lackluster on the field, and this vulnerability was ruthlessly exploited as they conceded a glaring defensive error during a corner kick in the 20th minute.

The breakthrough goal came courtesy of Cameroonian striker Léandre Tawamba’s header, as he capitalized on the lapse in marking to put Al Taawoun ahead.

The course of the game took a crucial turn when a penalty awarded to Al Nassr was overturned after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review just before the first half ended. This decision incited Ronaldo’s frustration, leading him to leave the field visibly discontent.

Although Al Nassr surged forward in the second half with Ronaldo at the helm, the Portuguese star struggled to find his footing, and Marcelo Brozovic missed a crucial opportunity that narrowly went wide of the goal.

Sadio Mane’s near-miss proved to be a pivotal moment, as the defense managed to clear the ball before it crossed the goal line, followed by Anderson Talisca’s header going astray.

Despite a valiant effort from Ronaldo, his shot striking the post emphasized Al Nassr’s unfortunate day, a sentiment shared when Talisca’s close-range header failed to find the back of the net during injury time.

An additional goal for Mane was disallowed due to offside in the dying moments of the match.

In a remarkable twist, Al Taawoun seized on the defensive confusion, extending their lead with a goal from Ahmed Saleh Bahsain in the 95th minute.

This outcome leaves Al Nassr empty-handed after their first two matches of the season, prompting fans and analysts to question their performance and strategy moving forward.