Sadio Mane scores after VAR intervention to give Al-Nassr hope against Al-Ettifaq

Sadio Mane pulled Al-Nassr back into their Roshn Saudi League match against Al-Ettifaq after VAR ruled out an earlier effort in a dramatic second-half sequence.

The Senegal forward appeared to have scored Al-Nassr’s opening goal in the 53rd minute, only for referee Mohammed Al-Huwaish to disallow it following a review of the incident.

Al-Nassr were attacking down the right when Kingsley Coman played the ball to Joao Felix. The Portugal international collected possession before driving into the penalty area and sending a pass across to Mane, who was positioned in front of goal.

Mane finished first time and found the net, but the celebrations were cut short when Al-Huwaish stopped play to assess the build-up using the video assistant referee system.

After reviewing the footage, the referee ruled that Coman had been offside at the start of the move. The decision meant Mane’s finish did not stand, denying Al-Nassr what would have been their first goal of the match.

A video showing the referee’s decision was shared alongside the question: “Is the decision correct?”

Al-Nassr continued to press, however, and Mane eventually found a way through in the 74th minute.

This time, Joao Felix carried the ball forward before passing to Mane. The forward drove into the Al-Ettifaq defence, moved closer to goal and struck a powerful shot into the net to reduce the deficit.

The goal gave Al-Nassr renewed hope after Al-Ettifaq had taken a 2-0 lead. Their advantage had been helped by Al-Nassr’s numerical disadvantage, which followed the dismissal of goalkeeper Bento in the 12th minute.

Mane’s successful finish came from a move that again involved Felix, but unlike the earlier attack, it survived the officials’ review and counted on the scoreboard.

The forward’s goal therefore ended a frustrating period for Al-Nassr, who had seen a similar combination produce a disallowed effort earlier in the half. Felix supplied the pass on both occasions, while Mane was the player attempting to complete the move.

The match was being played at Al-Ettifaq’s stadium on Tuesday in the third round of the Roshn Saudi League. Al-Huwaish’s intervention made the opening stages of the second half particularly eventful, first removing Mane’s apparent goal and later allowing his successful strike to stand.

With Mane’s 74th-minute finish, Al-Nassr were back within one goal after trailing 2-0.