In a remarkable turn of events, Cristiano Ronaldo orchestrated a sensational ‘ghost goal’ that propelled Al Nassr ahead against Al Ahli.

Al Nassr approached their Friday evening showdown with the aim of gaining ground in the Saudi Pro League title race. Their opponents, Al Ahli, boasted a star-studded roster featuring former Premier League luminaries such as Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, and Allan Saint-Maximin.

Despite Al Ahli’s impressive track record with five wins in six Saudi Pro League encounters this season, Luis Castro’s Al Nassr had clinched victory in their last four league matches.

It was Cristiano Ronaldo, however, who seized the spotlight by scoring the opening goal—a goal that could easily rank as one of the most peculiar among the 732 club goals the Portuguese superstar has notched in his illustrious career.

The sequence began when Sadio Mane capitalized on a defensive blunder by Al Ahli, feeding the ball to Ronaldo, who sprinted towards Edouard Mendy’s goal. A peculiar twist to the tale was the use of pyrotechnics in the stadium, enveloping both the goalkeeper and the goal in layers of yellow smoke.

Undeterred by the obscured view, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner delivered the ball in the direction he presumed the goal to be, subsequently wheeling away in jubilant celebration.

Thirteen minutes later, Anderson Talisca extended Al Nassr’s lead, outmuscling his markers to expertly nod home a goal. The Brazilian dynamo then added to the spectacle with a thunderous strike just before half-time. In response, Frank Kessie notched a goal for Al Ahli.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally now stands at eight goals from his six appearances in the Saudi Pro League this season. Additionally, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid legend has recorded four assists to further solidify his impact on the team.