Al Nassr put perfect Roshn League record on the line with Ronaldo-led attack

Nawaf Al-Aqidi will make his first start of the season for Al Nassr when they face Al Taawoun on Friday, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Kingsley Coman named in attack.

The match, part of the fourth round of the Roshn Saudi League, gives Al Nassr the chance to extend a perfect start after winning each of their opening three fixtures. Ange Postecoglou’s side have collected nine points and have made a strong impression during the opening weeks of the campaign.

Their most notable result was a dramatic 3-2 victory over Al-Ettifaq, despite Al Nassr playing the majority of that game with 10 men. The result maintained their winning run and increased confidence around a team hoping to challenge for the top positions in the league.

Al-Aqidi’s inclusion is the main change to the side. The goalkeeper has been brought back into the starting XI to replace Bento Matheus, who was sent off against Al-Ettifaq in the previous match. Al-Aqidi will therefore return to protect the Al Nassr goal in a fresh test against Al Taawoun.

Ronaldo has been selected from the start for the second consecutive game. The Portugal forward also began the match against Al-Ettifaq before being substituted at half-time. He will again lead the forward line alongside Senegal international Mane and France winger Coman.

Joao Felix also starts after making a significant contribution to Al Nassr’s comeback against Al-Ettifaq. His recent form adds further attacking quality to a side already containing three high-profile forwards.

Al Nassr’s starting line-up is:

Goalkeeper: Nawaf Al-Aqidi

Defenders: Salem Al-Najdi, Mohamed Simakan, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Nawaf Boushal

Midfielders: Samu Costa, Angelo Gabriel, Joao Felix

Forwards: Sadio Mane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kingsley Coman

Postecoglou will want his team to preserve its 100% record and continue building momentum at the start of the season. The fixture represents another examination of Al Nassr’s ambitions at the top end of the Roshn Saudi League, with the team able to call on substantial attacking strength through Ronaldo, Mane and Coman.

The presence of Felix gives Al Nassr another creative option, particularly after his influential display in the comeback against Al-Ettifaq. The return of Al-Aqidi, meanwhile, provides a clear response to the suspension of Bento Matheus and gives the goalkeeper an opportunity to re-establish himself in the side.

The match is also being used to promote ticket sales for Roshn Saudi League fixtures. Further discussion of the story and related football news was directed to the Kooora forums.