Saudi Pro League 2025-26: Al Nassr Ends Winless Run with 3-2 Victory Over Al Shabab

After suffering a painful three losses in a row, Al Nassr managed to get back to winning ways with a 3-2 win against Al Shabab on January 17, 2026, at the Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh. The Knights of Najd witnessed a collapse in their title hopes after losing consecutively to Al Ahli, Al Qadsiah and Al Hilal earlier this month, and this victory was timely for them.

Match Details

Early Fireworks Set the Tone

The match exploded into life within the opening minutes. Al Nassr took the lead after just two minutes when Cristiano Ronaldo‘s cross intended for himself was intercepted by Al Shabab defender Saad Yaslam Balobaid, who bundled the ball into his own net.

The home crowd barely had time to settle before Kingsley Coman doubled the advantage in the eighth minute with a spectacular overhead kick that defied physics. With a 2-0 cushion inside eight minutes, Al Nassr looked set to cruise. However, Al Shabab refused to surrender. Mohamed Simakan inadvertently turned Hammam Al-Hammami’s low cross into his own net in the 31st minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1 at halftime.

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Second Half Drama

Al Shabab came out aggressively after the break and found their equalizer in the 53rd minute. Yannick Carrasco, who recorded his 10th goal involvement of the season, threaded a precise through ball to Carlos Junior, who stayed composed to slot past goalkeeper Bento and level the score at 2-2.​

The match turned decisively in the 67th minute when Al Shabab midfielder Vincent Sierro received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Coman, reducing the visitors to ten men. This marked Al Shabab’s sixth red card of the season and forced them into a defensive reshuffle.​

Al Nassr capitalized on their numerical advantage nine minutes later. In the 76th minute, Abdulrahman Ghareeb pounced on a rebound after Coman’s initial effort was saved by Marcelo Grohe, firing home the winner to restore Al Nassr’s lead and secure all three points.

Standings Impact

The victory lifted Al Nassr back into second place in the Saudi Pro League on goal difference, level on 34 points with Al Ahli but still seven points behind leaders Al Hilal, who have a game in hand. Before this win, Al Nassr had suffered defeats to Al Ahli (3-2 on January 2), Al Qadsiah (2-1 on January 8), and Al Hilal (3-1 on January 12), ending their 11-match unbeaten run and putting their title aspirations in jeopardy.​

Al Shabab remained in 14th position with just 11 points from 15 matches, continuing their difficult campaign.​

Key Performers

Kingsley Coman earned player of the match honors for his stunning bicycle kick and overall impact, despite Al Nassr’s uneven performance. Cristiano Ronaldo, who leads the league with 15 goals in 14 matches before this fixture, played the full 90 minutes but failed to add to his tally. 

Yannick Carrasco showcased his quality for Al Shabab with his seventh goal of the season, assisting, demonstrating why he remains one of the league’s most creative forces.

Statistical Breakdown

Al Nassr controlled the game, keeping the ball for 60% of the time. They created more chances, with an expected goal rate of 1.43 from 14 shots, while Al Shabab only had 0.69 from seven shots. Al Nassr also had more shots on target (five compared to three) and won more corners (seven to five).

Despite the statistical advantage, Al Nassr were forced to dig deep to see off the ten-man visitors. The win ends Al Nassr’s worst run under coach Jorge Jesus and keeps them in the hunt for the Saudi Pro League title, though they’ll need Al Hilal to slip up if they’re to close the gap at the top.

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