Al Nassr snatch dramatic victory at Al Ettifaq after Bento’s early dismissal

Al Nassr came from two goals down to beat Al Ettifaq 3-2 in a remarkable Roshn Saudi League match, despite playing with 10 men from the 12th minute.

The visitors were reduced to 10 when goalkeeper Bento was sent off for bringing down Moussa Dembele after coming out of his penalty area. Al Ettifaq took advantage of the numerical advantage to establish a 2-0 lead, but Al Nassr produced a remarkable second-half recovery to claim all three points.

The result gives Al Nassr nine points from their opening three league matches and moves them temporarily to the top of the table. Al Ettifaq remain on six points in sixth place.

Al Nassr began positively and looked to attack from the opening stages, although Al Ettifaq also created dangerous moments. The decisive early incident came in the 12th minute, when Bento left his goal and obstructed Dembele. The referee showed the Al Nassr goalkeeper a straight red card.

Al Nassr were forced into an immediate change, with young goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi replacing Angelo to take responsibility for protecting the visitors’ goal for the remainder of the match.

Al Ettifaq increased the pressure against the depleted visitors and eventually broke the deadlock in the 31st minute. Duda collected possession on the edge of the penalty area before sending a shot into the top corner, giving Al Ettifaq a 1-0 lead.

The home side doubled their advantage deep into first-half stoppage time. In the third minute of added time, Alvaro Medran fired a powerful effort from outside the area after receiving a pass from Yasser Al-Shammari. Al Ettifaq went into the interval two goals ahead.

Al Nassr responded by making another change at the start of the second half, with Abdullah Al-Khaibari coming on for Cristiano Ronaldo as they searched for a way back into the contest.

They nearly reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute when Inigo Martinez struck the post. Joao Felix then went close, but his effort was saved by the Al Ettifaq goalkeeper.

Al Nassr’s persistence finally paid off in the 74th minute. Felix played a precise through ball into the path of Sadio Mane, who sprinted into the penalty area and calmly finished with his right foot into the right-hand corner.

The equaliser arrived only three minutes later. Felix delivered a corner in the 77th minute and Abdulilah Al-Amri met it from close range, directing the ball into the net to make it 2-2.

Al Nassr continued to push for a winner. The Al Ettifaq goalkeeper denied Mane in the 82nd minute, while Al Nassr had two attacks ruled offside in the 89th and 90th minutes.

However, the decisive moment came in the 90th minute. Sami Al-Naji led a swift counter-attack before finding Mane, who completed the comeback with a finish from the middle of the penalty area.