Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr teammates saw their joy extinguished in an instant when goalkeeper Bento made a critical error in stoppage time, scoring an own goal that cost the Riyadh side a 1-0 victory over arch-rivals Al Hilal.
The round 33 Saudi Pro League showdown on Tuesday evening saw Al-Nassr leading 1-0 until the dying seconds. Just moments from securing all three points, Brazilian keeper Bento mishandled a cross during an aerial save, deflecting the ball into his own net to seal a bitter 1-1 draw for the hosts.
A win against second-placed Al Hilal would have been enough for Al-Nassr to claim their 11th Saudi Pro League title, and the first domestic trophy for the Portuguese superstar since joining the club in January 2023.
Al-Nassr currently top the standings with 83 points from 33 matches, five ahead of Al Hilal (78 points from 32 games). Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr captain, cut a frustrated figure on the bench as the equalizer came from his own goalkeeper.
The 41-year-old football icon is still without a domestic league title at Al-Nassr since arriving from Manchester United after the 2022 World Cup. The club last won the league in 2019, while Al Hilal are the reigning 2024 champions.
Before the match, home fans were handed free jerseys, turning the stands into a sea of yellow in anticipation of a title celebration.
Barring an upset in their final match against 15th-placed Damac, Al-Nassr remain strong favorites for the crown on May 21. "The dream is getting close," Ronaldo wrote on social media after the game, addressing his more than 770 million followers.
