Al Nassr gains three points from its Saudi Pro League clash against Damac courtesy of a stoppage time header by Aymeric Laporte that found the back of the net.
Nassr rested the big names of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Marco Brozovic and Alex Telles on the bench with the big cup semifinals against Al Hilal around the corner, however this almost cost it the league match after a poor showing by the heavyweight in the first half.
Nassr lacked creativity and guile in the first 45 and Damac was shockingly the better of the two sides making good chances in the final third.
Sadio Mane was subbed in at halftime and he created a good opportunity with a through ball to Meshari Alnemer who was through on goal but missed the target by a fine margin.
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In the 66th minute, Ronaldo was subbed in however even the super-star failed to break the deadlock. In the 82nd minute, Nassr squandered a golden opportunity as Ronaldo set up a shot for Ghareeb, ten inches away from goal but the attacker’s volley struck the cross-bar.
Finally, in the first minute of stoppage time, Brozovic earned a corner which he crossed in for a towering Laporte in the middle of the box, whose header buried the ball in the back of the net.
Al Nassr next plays its rival Al Hilal in the semifinal of the Saudi Super Cup on April 8.
