Criano Ronaldo scores 500th league goal, scores four goals for Al Nassr against Al Wehda
For a second game in a row, Criano Ronaldo found the back of the net, this time for the 500th occasion in his league career. The 38-year-old has now scoring chart featured three goals for Sporting CP, 103 for Manchester United, 311 for Real Madrid, 81 for Juventus and four for his latest club in the Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo scored a brace for the second placed Al Nassr to take a 2-0 lead going into halftime. He then converted another from 12 yards to bring his hattrick eight minutes into the second half before adding a fourth. The Portuguese had found the net in his team’s away game to Al Fateh in a 2-2 draw.
Siiiiiiiim for everyone to hear 🫡 pic.twitter.com/UJdLwKmBFc
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 9, 2023
Before last week’s match, since his arrival at Al Nassr, Ronaldo had scored only twice, that too for Saudi All Star against Paris Saint Germain in an exhibition game. A game PSG won 4-5. That was followed Al Nassr losing the Saudi Super Cup semifinal against Al-Ittihad, a defeat after which the star forward came under scrutiny.
After the match, Al Nassr manager Rudi Garcia put some blame on that gilt edged chance Ronaldo as one of the reasons for losing the match. “One of the things that changed the course of the match was Criano Ronaldo’s missed opportunity in the first half,” he said.
While he did score in stoppage time against Al Fateh, Ronaldo missed from point blank range with an open goal in front of him.
In the first half, with Al Fateh leading, Al Nassr’s Talisca hit the far post following a move from the left. In the follow up, Ronaldo had an empty goal gaping, with the Al Fateh goalkeeper still on ground after a dive. The Portuguese however, skied the shot over.
Ronaldo had been a free agent after his contract was terminated Manchester United in November last year following an explosive TV interview in which he criticized manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners after having been repeatedly benched and even temporarily suspended the club.
