AL MAJMA’AH, Saudi Arabia (Interstat) — Al Nassr scored early, added a second after halftime and answered Al-Faisaly’s lone response with a late clincher, beating the home side 3-1 on Friday to remain unbeaten in the competition and across all competitions. Abdullah Al Hamdan had a goal and an assist in 81 minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo scored, and Angelo added a late goal as Al Nassr improved to 3-0 in the competition and 4-0 overall. Al-Faisaly moved to 1-1-2 in the competition and overall. Al Nassr’s goals came in the fourth, 49th and 79th minutes, while Al-Faisaly scored in the 66th. The visitors controlled possession for long stretches and created the more dangerous chances.

Al Hamdan opened the scoring in the fourth minute, giving Al Nassr an early advantage. The visitors pressed for more and kept Al-Faisaly under pressure, though the first half also brought yellow cards for Al Nassr’s Aman in the 14th minute and Samu Costa in the 24th. Aman did not return for the second half, as Al Nassr made a substitution at halftime. Al Nassr doubled its lead in the 49th minute when Ronaldo scored. Ronaldo finished with a goal, and Joao Felix provided an assist as Al Nassr maintained control. Al Hamdan finished with a goal and an assist before being substituted in the 81st minute. Al Nassr’s first-half pressure produced the opening goal and helped limit Al-Faisaly’s chances before the break. Al-Faisaly struggled to test the Al Nassr goal before halftime.

Al-Faisaly responded in the 66th minute when Theo Bongonda scored, cutting the deficit and giving the home side hope. Mohammed Al Shanqiti had an assist for Al-Faisaly before being substituted in the 85th minute. Al-Faisaly made three changes in the 61st minute, involving Al Bishi, Al Muwallad and Jahfali, and another in the 80th when Al Mogren was substituted as it sought an equalizer. Al-Faisaly could not find a second goal. The home side’s best response came through Bongonda’s finish, but Al Nassr’s defense held after the goal. Bongonda’s goal briefly changed the tempo, but Al Nassr regained control through its substitutions and kept Al-Faisaly from building sustained pressure.

Al Nassr restored its two-goal cushion in the 79th minute when Angelo scored in a 23-minute appearance. Sadio Mane had an assist and was substituted in the 86th minute. Al Nassr also made changes in the 67th minute, when Samu Costa was substituted, and in the 81st minute, when Al Hamdan and Al Khaibari were substituted. Al Nassr used substitutions in the 46th, 67th, 81st and 86th minutes, while Al-Faisaly made changes in the 61st, 80th and 85th minutes. The visitors managed the closing stages without conceding again. Angelo’s late goal came after Al-Faisaly had pushed forward in search of an equalizer, and it secured the result for Al Nassr.

Al Nassr entered the match after a 1-0 win over NEOM SC, a 3-1 win over Neftchi Fargona and a 3-0 win over Al Diriyah this season. Al-Faisaly had beaten Al Kholood 3-2, drawn 2-2 at Al Shabab and drawn 0-0 at Abha. The result kept Al Nassr’s perfect start intact in the competition and across all competitions, while Al-Faisaly remained on one win, one loss and two draws in the competition and overall. The match marked another strong attacking display for Al Nassr, which has won each of its first four matches overall this season.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Al Nassr 2, Al-Faisaly 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Al Nassr with a 96.8 percent probability to win. Al Nassr had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5, and the total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 3.5.