The clock ticked to 3.33am local time in New York City when Ben Shelton beat Carlos Alcaraz with a clean ace to the delight of thousands of delirious tennis fans still inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, but does something have to be done to stop these early-morning finishes?
The Portugal captain’s latest goal against Abha carried far greater significance than the three points, as it kept alive a remarkable sequence that has now placed the Riyadh club alongside one of the most famous teams in the sport’s history. Cristiano Ronaldo has once again put his name at the center of an extraordinary moment in soccer history, helping Al-Nassr achieve something that had remained out of reach for generations. The Portugal captain’s latest goal against Abha carried far greater significance than the three points, as it kept alive a remarkable sequence that has now placed the Riyadh club alongside one of the most famous teams in the sport’s history. Al-Nassr entered Wednesday’s Saudi Pro League meeting with Abha looking to recover from its first defeat of the season. Instead, Ronaldo’s contribution provided another chapter in the club’s remarkable rise, with his 22nd-minute header from Angelo’s corner giving the hosts a 1-0 victory at Al-Awwal Park. The match was Al-Nassr’s sixth Saudi Pro League fixture of the season, with Ange Postecoglou’s side determined to respond after the 2-1 loss against Al-Ittihad. Abha, meanwhile, arrived at the bottom of the table after collecting only one point from its opening five matches. Ronaldo made the difference in Riyadh, rising to meet Angelo’s delivery and sending his header into the net in the 22nd minute. The Portuguese superstar continues to produce decisive moments at the age of 41, while Al-Nassr continues to establish itself as one of the most consistent attacking teams in Saudi soccer. This time, however, Ronaldo’s finish also helped the club move into a very special place in the history of the game. Ronaldo scores his 979th goal. 21 goals to 1000 goals pic.twitter.com/t94Tqkjv5R— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) September 9, 2026 Al-Nassr matches 87-year-old soccer record The significance of Ronaldo’s goal was revealed after the final whistle. According to Thmanyah, the Saudi league’s broadcasting network, Al-Nassr has now scored in 93 consecutive Saudi Pro League matches, matching the historic mark previously achieved by River Plate. River Plate established its legendary scoring run between 1936 and 1939, finding the net in 93 consecutive domestic league matches. That record stood for roughly 87 years before Al-Nassr finally drew level with it. The Saudi club’s remarkable sequence began in December 2023 and has survived changes in opponents, squad personnel and coaching approaches. Ronaldo has been one of the central figures in Al-Nassr’s attacking identity during this period, contributing consistently since joining the club in late 2022. CountryClubMatchesSaudi ArabiaAl-Nassr93ArgentinaRiver Plate93PortugalBenfica93Saudi ArabiaAl-Hilal88GermanyBayern Munchen87SerbiaCrvena Zvezda69GreecePAOK69SpainBarcelona63ScotlandCeltic61EnglandArsenal55 There is some conflicting information surrounding the exact starting point of the streak in the supplied reports, with one source placing the beginning after a December 2023 meeting with Al-Riyadh and another referencing the Al-Hilal defeat. However, the key milestone remains the same: Al-Nassr has now scored in 93 successive Saudi Pro League matches, equaling the historic benchmark. One more goal could make Al-Nassr stand alone Al-Nassr now has an opportunity to move beyond the mark when it returns to league action against Al-Khaleej. The club is scheduled to travel to Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam next Saturday for Matchday 7. A goal in that fixture would give Al-Nassr 94 consecutive Saudi Pro League matches with at least one goal, allowing it to establish a new league scoring streak record outright. Cristiano Ronaldo of team Al Nassr FC celebrates scoring The achievement is particularly impressive because the run has continued across multiple seasons and different versions of the squad. Players such as Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Angelo have all played their part in maintaining the club’s attacking consistency.
Michael: Satisfactory performance by City, but made to work hard for it at times by a plucky Coventry. Arthur: The one true decisive moment of quality from Man City proved to be enough, great pass, great cross and a great header. City need to sharpen up, or it will cost them in the future.
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