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Refereeing Row Hits Al‑Ahli as Ronaldo Drives Al‑Nassr to 93‑Match Scoring Run

Refereeing, discipline and scoring records have become the story of the Saudi Pro League this week.

Overview

  • Al‑Qadsiah beat Al‑Ahli 3‑2 in Dammam, a result that left Al‑Ahli on nine points and marked their third defeat in four league rounds.
  • A penalty appeal for Al‑Ahli was rejected during the match and a refereeing analyst for Al‑Jazirah said VAR should have intervened, raising fresh scrutiny of officiating decisions.
  • Televised footage captured an on‑pitch confrontation involving Ivan Toney and team staff during the Al‑Qadsiah game, which coaches had to defuse as concerns about Al‑Ahli’s discipline and morale grew.
  • Al‑Nassr beat Abha 2‑1 at Al‑Awwal Park on Wednesday with Cristiano Ronaldo heading the opener, a strike widely reported as his 979th career goal and one that kept Ronaldo’s pursuit of 1,000 goals alive.
  • The Ronaldo goal also extended Al‑Nassr’s consecutive league‑match scoring run to 93 games, a streak that began in December 2023 and now matches the long‑standing River Plate benchmark while tightening the title race at the top of the table.