Cristiano Ronaldo showcased his brilliance yet again, scoring a first-half hat-trick as Al-Nassr crushed Pitso Mosimane’s Abha Football Club 8-0 in the Saudi Pro League on Tuesday night, April 2.
The onslaught began early, with the Portuguese veteran breaking the deadlock in the 10th minute through a well-taken free kick, swiftly followed by another goal just 11 minutes later.
Having already established a commanding 2-0 lead, the Knights of Najd’s Sadio Mane joined the scoring spree, extending the Riyadh-based team’s lead to 3-0 after just 33 minutes.
Ronaldo continued his assault, completing his hat-trick in the 42nd minute, before setting up Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem for the fifth goal moments later, as reported by iDiski Times.
With Al-Nassr effectively assured of the victory, coach Luis Castro opted to bring both the veteran and Mane off to rest and yet the goals kept flowing.
Abdulrahman Ghareeb widened the gap by scoring the sixth goal in the 51st minute, followed by Abdulaziz Al-Aliwa’s contribution in the 63rd, making it 7-0.
Al-Aliwa sealed the emphatic win with his second goal in the 86th minute, leaving Mosimane with the heaviest defeat of his coaching career.
While it was a challenging match for Abha, currently 17th in the SPL, they remain within reach of safety, despite only eight points under Mosimane’s tenure.
What’s next for Abha and Al-Nassr?
As reported by Goal, Ronaldo’s stellar performance marked his 65th hat-trick in his illustrious career, including an impressive 35 trebles since turning 30, far surpassing Lionel Messi’s tally since reaching the same milestone.
Looking ahead, Al-Nassr will prepare for Damac in their upcoming league fixtures they still trail league leaders, Al-Hilal, by 12 points.
Meanwhile, Abha will look to regroup as they prepare to face Al Fateh on Sunday, April 7.
Source: www.sportsbrief.com
