Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates after scoring a goal in a Saudi Pro League match against Al Raed at Al Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, August 22, 2024. /CFP
Cristiano Ronaldo was denied a late winner and Al Nassr were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Raed on the first day of the new Saudi Pro League season.
Sadio Mane's corner in the 34th minute of Thursday's game was headed in by Ronaldo for his 50th goal in 48 games with Al Nassr to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
Four minutes into the second half, Amir Sayoud's shot was saved by Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento, but Aymeric Laporte was whistled for grabbing Mohammed Fouzair while going for the rebound and Al Raed were awarded a penalty.
Laporte was initially given a red card, but it was downgraded to yellow following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Fouzair then drilled the spot kick to make it 1-1.
In the 76th minute, Ronaldo was denied a go-ahead goal due to being ruled offside, and Al Nassr's frustration continued after dominating possession in the second half. Ronaldo was in disbelief after the call, but the contest eventually ended in a 1-1 draw.