Ronaldo Subbed Off, Al-Nassr Mount Incredible 3-2 Comeback to Go Top

Al-Nassr came from two goals and a man down to beat Al-Ettifaq 3-2 on Tuesday, August 25, with Sadio Mane scoring a 95th-minute winner — after Cristiano Ronaldo had been substituted at half-time.

The Saudi Pro League match unravelled early for the home side. Goalkeeper Bento was sent off in the 12th minute, leaving Al-Nassr with ten men and a mountain to climb. By half-time they trailed 2-0, and manager Ange Postecoglou made the bold call to replace Ronaldo with Abdullah Al-Khaibari — a tactical reshuffle that meant sacrificing the most famous player on the pitch to stabilise a team under siege. Ronaldo, making his first start since the World Cup at the age of 41, was visibly frustrated on the touchline. He was reportedly angry with Postecoglou after being taken off, though he is not injured and is expected to play in Al-Nassr's next match (The Sun).

What followed was one of the season's most dramatic turnarounds. Mane pulled one back with 13 minutes remaining, and Abdulelah Al Amri headed in the equaliser barely three minutes later — suddenly, ten-man Al-Nassr were level. Then, deep into added time, Mane struck again to complete the comeback and send the stadium into delirium (BBC Sport).

The win was Al-Nassr's third straight victory to open the 2026-27 Roshn Saudi League season, taking them to the top of the table. They had begun the campaign with a 3-0 win over AlFateh on August 15 and had also thumped Al Riyadh 4-0 to strengthen their lead. A King's Cup last-16 berth was already secured via a 4-1 victory over Diriyah on August 17 (alnassr.sa).

For Postecoglou, the result is an early vindication. The Australian took over at Al-Nassr last month after a bruising spell at Nottingham Forest, where he was sacked last October following just 39 days in charge. To hook Ronaldo at half-time of a match his team was losing required conviction, and the gamble paid off.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, married his partner Georgina Rodriguez earlier this month and has said this is likely to be his last season as a player, so he can focus more on his family. A half-time substitution on a night he will want to forget may sting — but his team-mates made sure the night belonged to Al-Nassr anyway.

For fans, this was football at its most irrational and most gripping: a man down, a goal down, a superstar on the bench, and still a winner in the dying seconds. The table says Al-Nassr are top. The highlights say they got there the hard way.