Al Nassr vs Al Ettifaq _ Highlights _ Roshn Saudi League _ 21st February 2025(480P)
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00:00Hello from Riyadh on a night where Al Nasser hope to continue to press those at the very top
00:11of the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo and co are facing Al Etifak tonight at their home here
00:17at Alawal Park. Well a night that Al Nasser know they must seize while Al Etihad and Al Halal have
00:24displayed minor wobbles in recent weeks. Al Nasser have been the consistent ones. Can they keep that
00:29pressure on the top two teams in the Saudi Pro League and of course particularly pertinent as
00:36well with Al Etihad and Al Halal crossing paths this weekend on founding day which is officially
00:44tomorrow in Saudi Arabia but the celebrations beginning tonight in Riyadh. Well Al Nasser have
00:53restarted their own charge haven't they for this Saudi Pro League title. They feel like the team
00:57that is moving quicker than most at the moment. The question is are they going to continue this
01:04run of form that they have been on these five straight league wins. This is the Spaniard Alvaro Medran.
01:13Now Vettinio has just been allowed to creep ever further forward and his shot has been spilled by Benzo who got a bit fortunate really that it was out of the reach of those who were trying to capitalize and then Vettinio sensing that his luck might be in has blazed that a long way over.
01:32Long way over. Medran for the space for Vettinio. Through it goes Toku Akambi there's no flag for now Toku Akambi stopped by Benzo and then the flag is raised for offside I think as most were expecting.
01:49Yeah it looked pretty tight though. I think he just strayed didn't he there. You can see that Alphatil just playing him on side.
01:56Alphatil just playing him on side.
02:05Is Alphatil winning it high up the pitch and suddenly the chance is there for Ronaldo and it still might be. It's Ronaldo it's a brilliant save Rodak.
02:17What super reactions from the Alphatil goalkeeper. Yeah he's been called upon a few times now in these last five ten minutes or so.
02:30Medran.
02:33And again Medran it's deflected and it's by Naldum and it's saved by Benzo.
02:38And then again by the goalkeeper. What a double save that is by Al Nasser's number one.
02:45Al Otebi hit that beautifully and Benzo responded.
02:49Oh no good was this.
02:51Medran little one-two from Ronaldo off the post. He reacts first. It's a brilliant save. Yes it's straight at him but that is some save by the way. It really is.
03:00Al Otebi strikes it absolutely perfect. It's got that little bit of fade away hasn't it? That makes it even better save.
03:07I mean that looked like it was flying in the top corner.
03:14Here is John Duran with his four goals so far in his first two league games for Al Nasser.
03:20Now Kashish.
03:23Sadio Mane.
03:25Oh it's gone in.
03:28There's the opening goal.
03:30Al Nasser have scored just two minutes into the second half.
03:34I mean Yaya attacks it.
03:39And Al Nasser have a breakthrough.
03:42Just have a look at the run here.
03:45There's a bit of movement and it does maybe just flick off but it's a header off Yaya that's certainly going towards Gon.
03:54I'm not sure whether it ends up, it's actually headed away onto Yaya.
03:59The team who does get the first header then onto Yaya that deflects back into the goal.
04:04I mean it's one of them that nothing you can do about it, you're defending as well as you can.
04:08Madran.
04:16Oh it's bounced through to Wijnaldum.
04:18Here's the chance, Wijnaldum wasn't going to miss.
04:21He is having a splendid season but that one is not going to count because the offside flag is up and there are a few red faces in that Al Nasser back line that will be getting a reprieve here.
04:37Yeah they will.
04:38I mean the ball here in the run, it's a real tight one anyway and I mean the control there from the defender should have been quite routine really shouldn't it from Al Fatihl.
04:51Goal given 1-1 and now the celebrations can really begin for Wijnaldum and Co.
05:05Just as you felt that maybe Etihad just on the ropes, maybe not responding, you go and get that equalising goal.
05:12Taking some headlines both Rodak and Bento, that's Ronaldo, that's another one Rodak was needed for.
05:25There's one from distance from Ronaldo, this is one that looks relatively straightforward.
05:32And he is in the box right now John Duran saying send it my way, that's what Brozovic is going to try and do.
05:38There's the header, it's in, it's beaten Rodak.
05:44Having made that brilliant save, he couldn't stop the header from Mohamed Al Fatihl, it's almost gone through Rodak.
05:52The goal away, you disappoint, how do you react to it?
05:55Well, like that, pretty much so.
05:58I mean, big question marks, look at the defending from Alec.
06:02In fact, you get yourself back in the game and you allow a defender to come forward, rise above everyone.
06:07Loads of space, no pressure, but then he has to execute the header, which he does quite finely.
06:13Now Fatihl, great ball in from Brozovic, get the ball in the box quickly.
06:17They find themselves 2-1 up.
06:19This is Mane winning it back again for Al Nasser.
06:22Third goal would be a real problem for Etipak, Brozovic across, Ronaldo on the end of it.
06:29Rodak very brave to stop it.
06:32Another collision from Rodak and Ronaldo, we've seen that one in the first half.
06:37I think this was very, very similar because I think the ball just gets away from Mane.
06:42It looked like he was onside as well.
06:44Again, the control here wasn't, brilliantly was it, defensively.
06:49It just comes off the end step of the calf by the looks of it and he just tries to prod it home, just coming together.
06:58They'll be hoping that their 40-year-old superstar isn't feeling that too badly.
07:09Abdel Rahman, he's been bright since he's come on and off he goes and look at all that room ahead of him.
07:20Abdel Rahman, it's deflected in off Al Fatihl for 2-2.
07:26Well, he is having one of those nights at fault for the first, scoring now Nasser's second.
07:33Extra goal just to be comfortable because Nasser Fat have really given it a go, haven't they, since making the changes.
07:43This ball here, it's a massive deflection, it is.
07:46Abdel Rahman, he's looked bright and sharp, hasn't he?
07:49And he just cuts it back and, listen, is it down to communication that...
07:57Madran, Toko Akambi trying to power through.
08:00Oh, they've won it!
08:03Wijnaldum has won it for Al Atifak.
08:09Al Atifak are in front.
08:11What a goal, what a goal.
08:13I mean, we felt that there was something coming, but talk me through this finish.
08:18It's absolutely top, top class.
08:21And from a top class player, Wijnaldum, he has been magnificent.
08:26And they conceal it, perhaps here, with Wijnaldum, who's on a hat-trick and he wanted to do it himself.
08:34And maybe you can understand why.
08:36It's all over.
08:37It's all over.
08:38The wonder of Wijnaldum.
08:40Two for him on a famous night for Al Atifak.
08:46For the first time in 2025, Stefano Pioli's Al Nasser have been beaten.
08:54And on an evening where they could put some real serious pressure on Al Etihad and Al Halal.
09:02The teams above them in this title race, they've blown that opportunity to lose at home to mid-table Al Etihad.
09:12Oh, it's absolutely gut-wrenching, isn't it?
09:14Because, like I said, they take the league twice and you feel that they can keep going.
09:20They just switched off at times.
09:22Yes, there was some at times real poor defending, but credit to Al Etihad.
09:28They've responded like Wijnaldum was fantastic and what a result that was.
09:32Two goals from him, five goals in the second half in all.
09:35And that red card for John Duran, it all happened.
09:38And ultimately a night of regret for Al Nasser.
09:41It's finished Al Nasser two, Al Etihad three.