Former Manchester City ace Aymeric Laporte leads Al-Nassr to last-minute triumph against Damac

In a crucial match for Al-Nassr, coach Luis Castro rested Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane, but Ronaldo's second-half entry sparked the team's attack, leading to a late victory with Aymeric Laporte's goal.

Chirag

April 6, 2024

Laporte Saves Al Nassr In Absence Of Ronaldo And Mane — Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images

Luis Castro, the coach of Al-Nassr, opted to rest Cristiano Ronaldo for the match, following the Portuguese forward’s consecutive hat-tricks against Abha and Al-Tai. Sadio Mane was also left on the bench, with consideration given to the upcoming Saudi Super Cup semi-final against Al-Hilal. Ronaldo’s entry in the second half injected vigor into the attack, and a late goal from Aymeric Laporte secured the crucial three points for them.

Despite Al-Nassr’s initial lack of offensive firepower in the starting lineup, Damac managed the game effectively, limiting them to just one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes. Fullback Dhari El-Enezi and Ramzi Sawlan notably contained the flank movements throughout the game. Damac was unfortunate to concede through a well-executed corner routine.

Castro’s decision to begin the game with a depleted attacking force posed a threat to their title aspirations against Al-Hilal. However, Ronaldo’s individual brilliance sparked momentum, leading to Laporte’s decisive header for the victory.

Al-Nassr is now set to clash with Al-Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup on Monday, April 8th. A triumph in this fixture would propel them to the final, where they would face either Al-Ittihad or Al-Wehda.