Ronaldo gets ball rolling for Al-Nassr debut

Cristiano Ronaldo made an impressive debut for Al-Nassr on Sunday as his new team moved back to the top of the Saudi Professional League with 1-0 win over Ettifaq.

The only thing missing was a goal from the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus star but he still had a busy evening to keep a packed Mrsool Park happy. The record books will show that Anderson Talisca broke the deadlock with a first-half header but it was all about his team-mate.

It may have been a little easier for Ettifaq’s defenders to deal with Ronaldo than they imagined as anytime the ball came anywhere near the Portuguese star, the anticipation and excitement among the fans was audible. Everyone in the stadium always knew where the attacker was at every moment. 

And he will have come away knowing something too: There are no easy games in this league. Ettifaq made it very difficult indeed. The play in the opening exchanges was stop and start and it took the new signing, who scored twice against Paris Saint-Germain in an exhibition on Thursday, a little time to get into the game but there was excitement every time the ball came near the megastar.

Ronaldo’s first real touch was a mis-hit pass but there was nothing wrong with his first shot on goal that came after just eight minutes. Picking up the ball just outside the area, his fierce strike was certainly on target but a deflection off Marcel Tisserand diverted the danger wide. 

Six minutes later, the packed arena got a look at one of the greatest sights in the modern game, the five-time Ballon D’or winner on a drive forward. The 37-year-old drove past two defenders but the intervention of a third cleared the danger.

For the opening 20 minutes, Ettifaq looked a little more dangerous,