Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League title hopes took a major hit on Friday night as they lost 3-0 to Al Hilal in a dramatic early-season decider, ending the contest with 10 men and leaving Cristiano Ronaldo facing the prospect of another trophyless campaign in Riyadh.
Al Hilal struck first to seize control, punishing Al Nassr for a sluggish start and taking the lead before the break. The visitors grew into the game in patches, but they struggled to turn possession into clear chances as Al Hilal’s back line held firm and the match began to swing away from them.
The key moment arrived early in the second half when Al Nassr were reduced to 10 men, a turning point that shifted the balance decisively in Al Hilal’s favour. With a numerical advantage, the league leaders raised the tempo, pinned Al Nassr deeper and started to find space between the lines.
Al Hilal doubled their lead as Al Nassr’s resistance faded, and the contest effectively ended as a title statement rather than a tight head-to-head. Ronaldo continued to push for a way back into the match, but Al Nassr could not find a response, while Al Hilal stayed composed and clinical in the final third.
A third goal late on underlined Al Hilal’s dominance and completed a 3-0 win that opens up a significant gap in the title race. The result also reinforced a growing reality at Al Nassr: despite the star power in their squad, silverware is far from guaranteed, and this defeat leaves them with little margin for error in the weeks ahead.
