Cristiano Ronaldo is loving life in Saudi Arabia as the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker scored to see his side record a crucial win against Al-Ahli.
The two SPL sides, both funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, underwent huge summer spending sprees ahead of this much-anticipated clash.
Ronaldo’s goal, which came at a crucial time in the match, was overshadowed by the fact that viewers of the game couldn’t actually see the ball hit the back of the net.
Due to the raucous atmosphere that was garnered during the match, there were flares and smoke on the pitch so the goal that former Chelsea goalkeeper Eduoard Mendy was protecting was almost invisible.
The ball did manage to fly into the back of the net, at least from what the crowd had shouted when the ball was struck by the Portuguese forward.
Ronaldo, the December signing from United, was joined at Al Nassr by former Liverpool man Sadio Mane, while Manchester City treble winner Aymeric Laporte quickly became the league’s best defender when he also signed up to the Middle Eastern side near the end of the transfer window.
Mane and Firmino’s reaction
The pair, formerly of Liverpool, were playing against each other for the first time in a long time and the Senegalese winger got one over on the Brazilian.
So much so, that during one of the celebrations in the mix of the fantastic game, a video emerged of Mane launching himself on Firmino’s back, which understandably annoyed the former Hoffenheim forward.
The pair have started well in the Middle Eastern league and it seems that both sides could be involved in a title race this season which would certainly be a momentous occasion.