· 2 min readIn this Al Nassr vs NEOM match, I analyse the key tactical moments, individual performances and turning points of the game.
Al Nassr came into the tenth round of the Saudi Pro League with a duty to win, especially after Al Hilal picked up three points the previous day to reach 24. A victory would cut the gap to just two points. Even so, sixth-placed NEOM promised to be a difficult opponent. Although they lacked the individual quality of the main title contenders, they had already beaten Al Hilal at their own ground.
Postecoglou played Yahya at left-back and moved Ângelo to the right wing due to Coman’s injury. On the other side, NEOM lined up with three centre-backs in a 5-3-2 formation, closing down the spaces well. Al Nassr struggled from the start and had yet to create any consistent danger by the 20th minute. Benrahma did have a good chance, but his weak shot made it an easy save for Bento.
The first half was frankly poor. Al Nassr had 67% possession but managed just one shot on target, while Ângelo was struggling in the central areas. Al-Khaibari and Samu Costa offered too little quality in possession, and the team relied far too much on individual moments.
Deep into stoppage time, João Félix was clearly fouled inside the box, and the referee awarded a penalty after reviewing the footage. Ronaldo stepped up, but sent his shot wide. A terrible miss that left the score at 0-0 at half-time. And honestly, it was a fair result for such a poor game.
The second half began with another wasted opportunity. In the 48th minute, Mané delivered the ball to the far post, leaving Ronaldo free to finish, but the Portuguese headed over. After the penalty, this was already his second clear-cut chance wasted. On a normal day, Ronaldo could already have had two goals.
The breakthrough came in the 61st minute, thanks to individual quality. Ângelo drove forward down the right, cut inside and found João Félix, who struck the ball powerfully and high into the net, giving Marcin Bułka no chance. An excellent finish from the Portuguese, who was having a good game and finally put Al Nassr ahead.
NEOM responded, and in the 67th minute, Lacazette headed a cross against the post. Al Amri needed to be more alert to the Frenchman’s movement, as he came close to punishing the home defence. Postecoglou then decided to take Ângelo off in the 72nd minute, a change I disagree with. The Brazilian offered something different in the central areas, precisely where the team needed more creativity.
Ronaldo threatened again in the 75th minute, but his shot went just wide of the post. Towards the end, NEOM nearly equalised from a Benrahma free-kick, followed by a low cross that flashed across the six-yard box without Lacazette or Masouras managing to get a touch.
And Postecoglou continues to manage his substitutions poorly: with two games a week, making just two changes before stoppage time is not enough. The win feels good, but the performance left a lot to be desired.
Post-match
Al Nassr picked up the three points, but personally, I didn’t like how the game went. Ronaldo had a night to forget, while João Félix made the difference.
