Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 982nd official career goal on Friday as Al Nassr defeated Al Faisaly 3-1 in the Saudi Pro League, moving the Portuguese star 18 goals short of the 1,000-goal landmark.
The 41-year-old headed home a cross from fellow Portuguese João Félix in the 49th minute at Majmaah Sports City Stadium to double Al Nassr’s advantage.
Abdullah Al-Hamdan had given the hosts an early lead with a finish from a move involving Sadio Mané. Al Faisaly pulled a goal back through Theo Bongonda, who headed in a cross from Mohammed Al Shanqiti.
Ângelo Gabriel restored Al Nassr’s two-goal cushion in the 79th minute, converting a pass from Al-Hamdan to secure the victory.
The result extended Al Nassr’s winning streak to three matches and took them to 25 points, level with league leaders Al-Qadsiah, who still have a game in hand. Al-Hilal sat third, one point behind the top two, with a postponed fixture outstanding.
Ronaldo’s strike was his first since finding the net against Neftchi Fargona in the AFC Champions League Elite on October 12. A second effort by the forward was later disallowed for offside.
