Al-Nassr fans have hit out at Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate Sultan Al-Ghannam after their disappointing defeat at the hands of league leaders Al-Ittihad. The Saudi League leaders opened up an 11-point lead over the Knights of Najd, essentially ending their slim title hopes with four games to play.
Cristiano Ronaldo‘s side returned to action in the league at home to league leaders and rivals Al-Ittihad after their elimination from the AFC Champions League Elite last week. They sought to cut Al-Ittihad’s eight-point lead over them and keep their hopes of silverware alive in the league.
Stefano Pioli’s side gave up a two-goal advantage to lose 3-2 in front of their fans, and the fans were disappointed with the performance. They singled out right-back Al-Ghannam for criticism after his display was deemed to have been below par.
A number of the fans took to X to share their thoughts on the performance of the 31-year-old in the game. A fan called his display ridiculous as he lost track of Houssem Aouar for Al-Ittihad’s late winner.
Another fan pointed out that his level has dropped, citing a poor cross.
A fan pointed out that he performs poorly in big games.
Another fan shared that he has been poor all season.
A fan pointed out that the defender slept for the winner.
Another fan pointed out that the right-back ought to be in the lower leagues in Somalia.
Sultan Al-Ghannam lost nine duels in the game, more than any of Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammates or the Al-Ittihad players. The Saudi international has appeared 36 times across all competitions this season, scoring three goals and providing five assists.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr teammates were left stunned as Al-Ittihad came from two goals down to defeat them 3-2 at home. The result leaves Al-Ittihad six points clear of Al-Hilal in second place and 11 clear of Al-Nassr in fourth.
Sadio Mane scored for a third successive game after just three minutes to give Stefano Pioli’s side the lead. He then turned provider in the 37th minute as he set up Ayman Yahya to score for a second game running, putting the Knights of Najd 2-0 up.
Karim Benzema pulled one back for the league leaders after 49 minutes before N’Golo Kante levelled matters in the 52nd minute. They left it late before scoring the winner, with midfielder Houssem Aouar applying a finish from close range in stoppage time.
Al-Nassr had 54% of the ball and registered five attempts on target, generating a 1.59 xG in the game. Al-Ittihad had six shots on target and generated 1.87 xG with just 46% of the ball.
Sulayman has a good feel for the game, which is reflected in his descriptive articles. He double checks information via multiple sources for accuracy, and only uses top-tier platforms like Transfermarkt and Opta for statistical information. His experience and exploits in the industry have led Sulayman to cover the Nigerian Professional League for three years along with games involving the Nigerian national team. He has also worked in F1, joining hands with industry veterans to provide a smooth viewing experience in Nigeria.
Sulayman hails Lionel Messi as the one true GOAT, and his brace in Argentina’s 2005 U20 FIFA World Cup final win over Nigeria left a lasting impact on him. He also supports Chelsea at club level, having followed their dominance under Jose Mourinho. Sulayman also follows other leagues with Nigerian players like Eredivisie, Saudi Pro League, Turkish Super Lig, and more. When not writing, he enjoys cooking and eating.
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