Could a single spot‑kick have changed the race? Ronaldo stared down a golden‑boot chance, only to see it slip through his boots, yet Al Nassr escaped with a point.
Just before halftime at Al Awwal Park, the deadlock sat at 0‑0. A foul on Joao Felix in stoppage time earned a penalty after VAR, and Ronaldo, eyeing his 982nd career goal, saw his shot sail wide left.
The miss wasn’t his only let‑down. Emerging from the break, he headed the ball across the line only to blast over from close range. Later, in the 74th minute, another effort drifted off target, leaving him with plenty of chances but no tally.
Fortunately, Joao Felix rescued the night. His right‑footed strike from outside the box in the 61st minute secured a 1‑0 win, while Neom’s Alexandre Lacazette rattled the post six minutes later.
The squandered spot‑kick was a missed boost in the Golden Boot chase. A goal would have taken Ronaldo to five, yet he stays on four, far behind league leader Ivan Toney’s 11. The victory lifts Al Nassr to third place with 22 points from nine games, and they face Al Faisaly on Oct. 23.
Ronaldo now finds unexpected competition from Felix as their stats diverge, while Kingsley Coman’s recent form raises warning signs. In my view, the contrast between the two forwards signals a shift in Al Nassr’s attacking balance.
Rivals continue to widen the gap in the scoring race. Will the chasing pack close the gap before season’s end?
On the same day, several rivals struck. Al Ittihad’s Youssef En‑Nesyri netted a brace in a 4‑1 win over Al Ettifaq, pushing him to seven goals and second place on the chart.
Teammate George Ilenikhena added his fifth, and Al Qadsiah’s Tijjani Reijnders clinched a stoppage‑time winner for a 1‑0 triumph at Al Taawoun, also reaching five goals and propelling his side to the league summit.
Leading the pack, Ivan Toney of Al Ahli sits on 11 goals from eight matches but is sidelined with a hip injury, missing the trip to Al Fayha. Ronaldo lingers on four, outside the top ten and seven behind the front‑runner.