Jhon Duran received a red card, much to the dismay of Cristiano Ronaldo, as Al-Nassr’s impressive seven-game unbeaten streak in the Saudi Pro League came to an end with a 3-2 loss to Al-Ettifaq in Riyadh.
Duran, who had been in fine form with two goals in each of his first two league matches since joining from Aston Villa in January, was sent off in injury time for a minor altercation with Al-Ettifaq player Abdulelah Al Malki, who exaggerated the incident leading to the Colombian’s dismissal.
Ronaldo, who had a quiet game, expressed his frustration by arguing with the officials and kicking the ball off the pitch from the center spot.
How Ronaldo reacted to Duran’s red card. Robbery pic.twitter.com/C75oE1qRlb
— Trey (@UTDTrey) February 21, 2025
It was a frustrating match for Stefano Pioli’s side, as they were unable to hold on to their lead despite goals from Aidan Yahya and Mohammed Al Fatil. Former Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Gini Wijnaldum scored twice to secure the win for Al-Ettifaq.
Wijnaldum’s first goal equalized Yahya’s opener, before Al Fatil put Al-Nassr back in front. However, Al Fatil scored an own goal late in the game, and Wijnaldum sealed the victory with a late winner.
Under new manager Saad Al-Shehri, Al-Ettifaq have been in fine form, winning three out of four Pro League matches since Steven Gerrard’s departure, propelling them to ninth place in the table.