Ronaldo scores hat trick, Mané nets 2 in Al Nassr rout

Updated: Aug 25, 2023, 11:41 pm

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick and Sadio Mané added two goals of his own as Al Nassr recorded their first win of the Saudi Pro League season with a 5-0 rout away at Al Fateh on Friday.

Despite spending big money this summer to surround their Portuguese star with more support, Al Nassr lost both of their opening two matches of the campaign.

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But Al Nassr and Ronaldo, who was without a league goal this season coming into the game, both got off the mark in emphatic fashion against an Al Fateh team that had taken four points from their first two games.

Mané, one of the notable new arrivals after signing from Bayern Munich, got the scoring started in the 27th minute following a glorious back-heeled assist from Ronaldo.

Seven minutes before half-time, Ronaldo got his first goal of the campaign with a towering header from six yards out. He scored two more in the second half, both among the simplest goals of his legendary career, after the opposition goalkeeper was left stranded and he could tap the ball into an unguarded net.

In between, Mané got a second goal of his own as Al Nassr eased to victory.

In a positive game all-around for the team from Riyadh, Al Nassr were also able to hand debuts to former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte and Portugal international Otávio