In the battle for the top spot in the Saudi league, in the early morning of December 2, Beijing time, Riyadh Crescent and Riyadh Victory launched a fierce showdown.
This game is not only a competition between two traditional giants, but also a battle for the league title. The foreign aid stars of the two teams gathered, and superstars such as Ronaldo, Mane, and Mitrovic complemented each other on the field and performed a blood-boiling game.
In the first half, the game ushered in a tense start. In the 13th minute, Riyadh Victory goalkeeper Aqidi made a mistake on the ball, giving Mitrovic a great chance to score, however, the threatening striker failed to capitalise on the opportunity and the ball was quickly confiscated by Achidi. This moment became a big regret in the first half.
In the 22nd minute, Sadio Mane counter-attacked with a cross and Ronaldo followed up with a low shot, but it was successfully intercepted by Riyadh Crescent's goalkeeper Bounou and failed to form an effective threat.
The game came to an end, in the 45+2nd minute, Fofana fell to the ground in the penalty area, the referee confirmed through VAR that Otavio was offside, and Riyadh Victory did not get a penalty opportunity. In the first half, both sides failed to change the score and fell into a stalemate.
The second half was even more intense. In the 64th minute, Milinkovic broke the deadlock with a header from the penalty area and gave Riyadh Crescent a 1-0 lead. The fans in the stadium were boiling and fireworks were set off to celebrate this exciting moment. However, Ronaldo didn't stop there.
In the 68th minute, he volleyed directly from inside the box, and although the ball hit the side-netting, the scene still caused a cheer from the crowd. However, this goal was invalidated by the referee who raised the flag to signal offside, which instantly poured cold water on the joy of victory.
In the 73rd minute, Sultan Ganem picked up a cross and Ronaldo volleyed home, however, the linesman raised the flag again to signal offside. Cristiano Ronaldo failed to find the back of the net against Riyadh Crescent for the third game in a row and his hunger for individual goals was challenged in a crucial battle.
As the clock ticked, in the 89th minute, Al-Dosari drove a corner kick to the front post, and Mitrovic jumped high to score the winning goal with a header to help Riyadh Crescent extend the score 2-0. At this moment, tens of thousands of fans on the pitch fell into a frenzied cheer.
The match was coming to an end, but Mitrovic wasn't satisfied. In the 92nd minute, he once again showed his extraordinary individual ability, scoring a brace to help Riyadh Crescent seal a 3-0 victory. The match became another milestone in his illustrious career.
Summing up the game, Riyadh Crescent won 3-0 to extend their points lead to seven points and go 22 games unbeaten in all competitions, including a 14-game winning streak.
Not only was it a testament to their excellence in the league, but it also marked the end of their opponents' 20-game unbeaten run, which included a 12-game unbeaten run in the league. Riyadh Crescent put in a great performance in this match, showing quality as the favourites for the title.
And Cristiano Ronaldo, despite scoring a goal in this game, suffered a goal disallowed decision for offside. He has failed to find the back of the net in three consecutive league games, which is certainly a challenging experience for the world-class superstar.
This season, Ronaldo has contributed 24 goals and nine assists in 26 games, including 15 goals and seven assists in 14 league games, but his personal goals remain unmet.
The match had a profound impact on the race for the Saudi league title. Riyadh Crescent and Victory occupy the top two spots in the standings, two traditional giants, and this victory has strengthened their place in the championship.
The inconsistent performances of Jeddah United and Jeddah Nationals have made the competition for the league title mainly concentrated between Riyadh Crescent and Victory. The head-to-head clash was arguably a six-point title battle, and the final victory brought Riyadh Crescent closer to the league title they crave.