Al Nassr 2-1 Al Taawoun: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Saudi Pro League Matchday 4 · Friday 28 August 2026 · Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh · referee A. Al-Shehri · full time
Full time: Al Nassr 2-1 Al Taawoun
Al Nassr won 2-1 at home to Al Taawoun in Saudi Pro League Matchday 4 on Friday 28 August 2026. The goals: Bassam Al-Hurayji 11', Samú Costa 45+5', Cristiano Ronaldo 50'.
How Al Nassr won it
The opening goal came in the 11th minute: Bassam Al-Hurayji for Al Taawoun. Al Nassr levelled at 1-1 in the 45th minute (+5) through Samú Costa, set up by Sadio Mané. Al Nassr turned it round: Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-1 in the 50th minute, set up by Mohamed Simakan.
It was 1-1 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.
The lead changed hands once.
The referee, A. Al-Shehri, showed 3 yellow cards: 2 to Al Nassr and 1 to Al Taawoun.
Al Nassr: A. Postecoglou, 4-4-1-1 · Al Taawoun: Ž. Lazetić, 3-4-3.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 0.68 for Al Nassr and 2.03 for Al Taawoun.
Al Nassr scored about 1.3 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.
Al Taawoun left about 1.0 goals' worth of chances on the pitch.
Al Taawoun created the better chances, 2.03 xG to 0.68, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
Al Nassr had 6 shots on target, Al Taawoun 2.
Al Nassr had 58% of the ball and turned it into the win.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Al Nassr came into it with 10 Saudi Pro League matches played, scoring 2.3 and conceding 0.8 a match, with 1.74 expected goals for and 0.75 against, and had won 80% of their matches.
Al Taawoun came into it with 11 Saudi Pro League matches played, scoring 0.5 and conceding 1.7 a match, with 1.21 expected goals for and 1.64 against, and had won 0% of their matches.
Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun: the match in numbers
| Al Nassr | Match statistics | Al Taawoun |
|---|---|---|
| 58% | Ball possession | 42% |
| 0.68 | Expected goals (xG) | 2.03 |
| 16 | Total shots | 5 |
| 6 | Shots on target | 2 |
| 2 | Big chances | 1 |
| 413 | Total passes | 313 |
| 86% | Pass accuracy | 81% |
| 10 | Corners | 4 |
| 15 | Fouls | 8 |
| 0 | Offsides | 1 |
| 17 | Tackles | 19 |
| 1 | Saves | 3 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Samú Costa (Al Nassr), rated 8.1 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal.
Al Nassr
- Samú Costa 8.1 1 goal
- João Félix 7.8
- Sadio Mané 7.7 1 assist
- Abdulelah Al-Amri 7.3
- Cristiano Ronaldo 7.3 1 goal
Al Taawoun
- Bassam Al-Hurayji 8.0 1 goal
- Aschraf El Mahdioui 6.9
- Parfait Guiagon 6.8
- Marin Petkov 6.7
- Awn Al-Saluli 6.7
The lowest-rated starter was Ângelo at 6.4. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Al Nassr: Al Nassr vs Al Kholood Thursday 29 October 2026 · Saudi Pro League
- Al Taawoun: Al Taawoun vs Al Ettifaq Saturday 31 October 2026 · Saudi Pro League
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun
What was the score in Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun?
Al Nassr 2-1 Al Taawoun (half-time 1-1), Saudi Pro League, Friday 28 August 2026.
Who scored in Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun?
Bassam Al-Hurayji 11', Samú Costa 45+5', Cristiano Ronaldo 50'.
Did Moneyball predict Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun?
Samú Costa, rated 8.1 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Al Nassr vs Al Taawoun?
A. Al-Shehri.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball Odds writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball Odds is a statistical analysis site, not a bookmaker. No model predicts football reliably. For readers aged 18 and over.