Sadio Mane delivered an influential performance on Friday evening as Al Nassr secured a dominant 2-0 victory against Damac in the Saudi Pro League.
The Senegalese forward started the game at Mrsool Park and played 69 minutes before being substituted for Abdulrahman Ghareeb. Mane’s impressive display earned him a 7.1 match rating, among the highest for players from both sides.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the match, scoring both goals for Al Nassr to keep his side within five points of league leaders Al-Ittihad. Ronaldo’s first goal came in the 17th minute from the penalty spot after a handball by Damac defender Abdelkader Bedrane.
Damac’s task became even harder early in the second half when Bedrane was shown a red card for a stomp on Mohamed Simakan following a VAR review. Reduced to 10 men, Damac struggled to contain Al Nassr’s attack.
Ronaldo doubled his tally in the 79th minute, calmly converting a cut-back from left-back Nawaf Boushal for his ninth league goal of the season.
The victory was crucial for Al Nassr, who bounced back from their first defeat of the season against Al-Qadsiah last week. With this win, Stefano Pioli’s men remain third in the Saudi Pro League standings, tied on 25 points with fourth-placed Al-Qadsiah. Damac, on the other hand, sits in 11th place with 14 points from 12 matches.
Mane’s continued contributions in attack, combined with Ronaldo’s clinical finishing, underline Al Nassr’s strength as they push for a higher spot in the league table.
