Al Ittihad 2-5 Al Nassr: summary: score, goals, highlights | Saudi Pro League

If ever a scoreline was deceptive ....

With Al Ittihad level in the second half, am innocuous tussle between Fabinho and Otavio saw the Greek referee called to consult the VAR screen with the Al Ittihad man given his marching orders.

Cristiano Ronaldo duly slotted home from the spot for the second time in the game and Al Nassr were cruising.

The first half was dominated by the visitors despite the men from Jeddah going ahead from a fine individual effort from Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah.

Goals from Talisca and CR7 from the spot saw the men from Riyadh ahead at the interval.

Al Ittihad started with a different energy in the second half and restored parity as Hamdallah bagged the second for the home side who had their tails up before the red card incident.

Al Nassr managed the game expertly and condemned Gallardo's side to a third consecutive Saudi Pro League defeat as the visitors close the gap at the top of the table to seven points over runaway leaders Al Hilal.

Al Ittihad 2-5 Al Nassr

Al Ittihad 2-5 Al Nassr

The Greek referee calls time and it's Al Nassr who secure the win.

Still two minutes left and credit to Al Ittihad as they still forge looking for a third as the camera pans to the stern expression on the face of Marcelo Gallardo.

Plenty of work ahead for the Argentine.

CR7.... goal machine

Fine strike from Benzema but the Ittihad forward fires straight at Nawaf Al-Aqidi

CR7 looking for his hat-trick but the veteran striker fires wide with the flag up so the effort would not have counted.

We're into added time.

Nine minutes to be added.

21 mins. in total over both halves.

A very deceptive scoreline and a game which really has seen a dubious referee decision influential in the outcome.

Final minutes of the game with many home fans now heading for the exit signs.

Off: Mane & Otavio

On: Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem & Ghareeb

Al Nassr switches

Ittihad ship a fifth

For the first time this season, Al Ittihad have shipped five goals.

Al Ittihad 2-5 Al Nassr

We'll have one more round of SPL fixtures before the league takes a break for the AFC Asian Cup.

Ten minutes remain in Jeddah ... Al Nassr set to close the gap on leaders Al Hilal to seven points as Ittihad languish in sixth.

Al Nassr find a fourth

Cruel for Al Ittihad with the Fabinho red card and resulting penalty certainly changing the course of this contest.

Talisca streaks free and generously feeds Mane as Ittihad players complain of a possible foul leading up to the goal.

Al Ittihad 2-4 Al Nassr

Al Ittihad on track for a third straight Saudi Pro League defeat with pressure certain to grow on Marcelo Gallardo.

Cornado and Zechariah off and Al-Aboud and Al-Farhan on for Al Ittihad

Less than ten minutes left for the ten men of Al Ittihad to find a way back into the contest.

Al Nassr back in front

Al Ittihad 2-3 Al Nassr

Abdullah Al-Khaibari replaces Fofana

Al Nassr switch

CR7 gifted the chance to put Al Nassr back in front.

The striker from Madeira drills the ball into the corner and the visitors are back in front again.

Ittihad down to ten men.

Wow... Fabinho is off and the player stares in disbelief. 

The referee is being asked to look at the monitor by VAR.

A penalty would be harsh with the Al Nassr man making a meal of the situation.

A few theatrics from Otavio as the Portuguese player claims he was struck by Fabinho.

Into the final 30 minutes of the contest.

Al Ittihad, for the first time during the game, the stronger looking side.

Fabinho catches Mane on the ankle.

Yellow for the Brazilian and CR7 free kick territory.

The Portuguese striker just drives the ball over the ball, failing to dip in time.

Karim Benzema almost finds the corner of the Al Nassr net as the visitors are well and truly on the ropes now.

The decibels have risen yet again as the Tigers' fans raise their game as the home side look to find a third as Nassr are pressed back.

Al Ittihad have their tails up and are playing with added belief.

The game is getting more and more open now.

Ittihad back on level terms

Al Ittihad 2-2 Al Nassr

Abderrazak Hamdallah is in again and looks for a third.

The Al Nassr keeper does well making a double save.

Just 4 wins in the last 13 Saudi Pro League games for Al Ittihad.

Laporte and Abderrazak Hamdallah both carded ahead of that corner.

Great work from Talisca as he forges forward and wins a corner for his side.

Telles to take. Ittihad clear.

Finally, we're underway as Ittihad start the second 45.

Still no sign of the restart as ground staff try and resolve the net issue.

Off we go in Jeddah as the home side are set to start the action but there seems to be an issue with one of the nets.

The teams are back on the pitch as the second half is poised to start.

Al Nassr ahead at the interval

Goals from Talisca and Cristiano (pk) has the visitors ahead after Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah opened the scoring for the home side.

Al Ittihad 1-2 Al Nassr

The Greek referee sounds an end to the action and Al Nassr lead at the interval.

Telles clips Abderrazak Hamdallah and is carded for the foul.

Decent chance for the home side to create late danger in the final minutes of the half.

Ittihad win a throw deep inside enemy territory with still four minutes of the half remaining.

Al Nassr almost shoot themselves in the foot but Al Ittihad fail to capitalise on the error from the keeper.

Abderrazak Hamdallah is back on the pitch and sees goal but screws the shot well wide with a left footed strike.

We'll have 12 minutes of added time.

Despite the adverse scoreline, the Al Ittihad fans have not taken a breathe and continue to generate great noise.

Once again, it's been a disappointing showing from Karim Benzema with the former Real Madrid striker yet to sparkle in Saudi.

This does not look good for the Moroccan international as he gingerly gets to his feet....

Abderrazak Hamdallah needs treatment as the Greek referee orders a cooling break.

Al Nassr lead in Jeddah

Into the final five minutes and Al Nassr good value for their lead.

Kante carded with Ronaldo poised to strike.

It's a very, very acute angle. The Portuguese striker dinks the ball into the box and Ittihad launch a counter.

Far too easy for the Brazilian who controlled well from a sweet Telles pass.

The Nassr man turns the defender and drives the ball into the ground and past Abdullah Al-Mayouf.

Al Ittihad have enjoyed a decent spell and N´Golo Kante is now starting to make things tick in the central area.

We pass the thirty minute mark in Jeddah and despite the drawn scoreboard, Al Nassr are easily the better side.

Abderrazak Hamdallah opened the scoring for the home side but just minutes later CR7 drew the visitors level from the spot.

Fofana carded for a foul on Benzema.

Faisal Al-Ghamdi carded after a terrible dive.

CR7 gets his 52nd goal in the 2023 calendar year and draws level with Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.

Danger for Nassr as Ittihad win a free close to the box.

Coronado takes but Romarinho heads well over.

Possession:

Al Ittihad 26-74 Al Nassr (%)

What a strike from Talisca but despite the fine execution from the Brazilian he just lacked accuracy in his volleyed attempt.

Now Ronaldo strikes the upright as he was sent through from Mane.

Al Nassr really are very much on top here.

All square in Jeddah

The man from Madeira makes no mistake and drives the ball down the centre.

All square in Jeddah.

CR7 to take

The Greek referee points to the spot as Benzema clips Ali Lajami

Ittihad take the lead

Al Nassr almost open the scoring as Talsica fires on goal and the keeper spills the ball and Ittihad just about survive.

The home side have struggled to get out of their own half.

The ball is in the net as CR7 cips the ball past the Ittihad keeper but the flag was up and the striker was offside.

CR7 almost releases Mane and Al Ittihad are forced to concede a corner, the first of the night and it goes the way of the visitors.

Al Nassr probably enjoying the better of the opening minutes of the game with Al Ittihad certainly looking like a side in need of a boost of confidence.

Play resumes with both players seemingly okay to carry on.

A clash of heads between Talisca and Zakaria Hawsawi sees the action halted.

A cagey start to proceedings with neither side able to impose themselves just yet.

Great noise levels being generated by both sets of fans.

All set in Jeddah and off we go

So, it's last season's champions in Al Ittihad against last season's runners up in Al Nassr.

We're just moments away from kick-off.

Yellow and black fans on one side with a decent away showing of Al Nassr supporters.

Al Ittihad-Al Nassr: match officials

Tonight's officials mainly hail from Greece with the 40-year-old in charge 

Anastasios Sidiropoulos: Main

Polychronis Kostaras: Asst. referee

Lazaros Dimitriadis: Assistant referee

Al Jaloud: Fourth official

Both sides undergo pre-game warm up

Both teams are on the pitch at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium as kick-off gets ever closer.

It's a hot and sticky 27C-81F December evening in Jeddah with no chance of rain during the contest. 

SPL: top of the table

This is how the Saudi Pro League table looks ahead of tonight's match.

Both sides well behind runaway leaders Al Hilal and Al Ittihad hoping to avoid a trio of back to back league defeats.

Club colours

Al Ittihad will be in their classic yellow and black stripes today with black shorts. 

Luis Castro's men will be wearing their smart new third all white kit.

Countdown to El Clasico

Less than 45 minutes to go before kick-off in Riyadh.

Benzema-CR7 reunion

Today (Tuesday, 26 December), the Portuguese and French strikers will share the pitch again. Their last meeting was at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament with the game between their respective national sides ending in a 2-2 draw.

Both players played together for Real Madrid 342 games with Cristiano bagging 47 goals from Benzema assists and the Lyon born front-man slotting home 29 CR7 assisted goals.

Gallardo names his team

Al Ittihad will play a 4-2-3-1 formation with Karim Benzema as sole frontman.

Hamdallah, Romarinho and Coronado will sit behind the French striker.

Al Nassr XI announced

Talisca, Mane and Ronaldo will lead the line for the side from Riyadh in today's high profile Roshn Saudi League clash. 

Concentration high as teams arrive

The Al Ittihad players arrive at the stadium as kick-off looms closer

Al Ittihad vs Al Nassr: recent meetings

March 2023: SPL - Al Ittihad 1-0 Al Nassr

January 2023: Saudi Super Cup - Al Ittihad 3-1 Al Nassr

October 2022: SPL - Al Nassr 0-0 Al Ittihad

February 2022: SPL - Al Ittihad 3-0 Al Nassr

September 2021: SPL - Al Nassr 1-3 Al Ittihad

Al Nassr have addressed their early season issues are in a better vein of form having recorded four wins from their past five but still trail the unstoppable Al Hilal by ten points.

Marcelo Gallardo’s start at Al Ittihad has been somewhat hot and cold. The Argentine took over from Portuguese Nuno Espirito Santo and after a series of solid opening results, the Tigers have faltered recently with two back to back Saudi Pro League defeats that sees the Jeddah based side 22 points behind table topper Al Hilal.

Jeddah’s Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City hosts the game with the action getting underway at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT.

Hello and welcome to our live Saudi Pro League coverage as Al Ittihad face Al Nassr in what is always one of the biggest games of the season.