Cristiano Ronaldo Subbed at Halftime as Al Nassr Stage Stunning Comeback Victory Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted at halftime by Ange Postecoglou during Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League clash against Al Ettifaq, but the 41-year-old forward watched as his team overcame a two-goal deficit to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory. The match, played on Tuesday night, saw Al Nassr face significant challenges after their goalkeeper, Bento, was sent off just 13 minutes into the game. Al Ettifaq capitalized on the early advantage, taking a 2-0 lead before the break. Postecoglou, the Al Nassr manager, opted to replace Ronaldo with Saudi midfielder Abdullah Al-Khaibari at the interval. The decision proved pivotal as Al Nassr launched a remarkable second-half comeback. Sadio Mané, the former Liverpool forward, reduced the deficit in the 64th minute, and João Félix set up Abdelelah Al-Amri for an equalizer just 16 minutes later. The turnaround was completed in the 90th minute when Mané struck the winning goal, securing a thrilling 3-2 triumph for Al Nassr. Postecoglou praised his team’s resilience, emphasizing the importance of their character in overcoming the odds. “Nothing is by luck,” he said. “Everything is hard work and sweat, as you can see. But what you have to understand is that it's not just about the player quality—it's about what kind of person they are. They're top-quality players, but they're fighters. And today they made a decision to fight.” The manager also highlighted the team’s determination, noting that their refusal to accept the challenge of playing with 10 men showcased their mental strength. Ronaldo, who returned from World Cup duty with Portugal, had a notable impact despite being substituted. He scored the 977th goal of his career in Al Nassr’s 2-1 win over Al Riyadh the previous week.#al_ettifaq #al_nassr #crisitano_ronaldo #bento #ange_postecoglou
