Crazy COMEBACK! | Al Nassr vs Al Ettifaq 3-2 | Extended Highlights

And go and take the game to them, put them under pressure. Well, Alnasser's title charge last season was briefly derailed by defeat in Daman to tonight's opponents. It led to a mid-season wobble that could have cost them dearly, but they recovered and the rest is history. They've won only once. Notable meeting of two Australian head coaches as well. Arthur Papas and Ange-Poste Koglou know each other well and spent two seasons together. Let's in fact make just one change to the side that secured a 1-0 win at Al-Fateh on Saturday. Serbian winger Matija Glushchevich returns to the starting eleven in preference to Khalid Al-Ghanam, who drops to the bench. The main team news for Alnasser is that Cristiano Ronaldo makes his first start of the season, having come off the bench to score on Friday against Al-Riyadh. It's one of a couple of changes, with Samer signing from Mallorca, Samu Costa returning to midfield. They moved in the same circles in Aussie football, and they did work together between 2019 and 2021 in the J-League. So superbly a year ago, they were sailing serenely along, and then suddenly lost this fixture. Games in a row, suddenly they lost them, didn't they? And you thought, oh, the wheels have come off. But they've got to attack Alnasser tonight, that has to be the game plan. And that's exactly what they're doing here, and a challenge at the last moment coming in on. It's a loose giveaway from Al-Etifak, which put Ronaldo in. He's got a slight bump from behind, just to put him under pressure from Jack Hendry. New look from Mane. This is Medran, who's been with Etifak for a little while now. Plenty of experience in the Russian-Saudi league. Trying to feed it forward, early threat perhaps, and a straightforward save in the end. Medran's a player in midfield, he's very tidy on the ball, really skilful. Just couldn't find the corner, it was too central. Booster, branch across to Koglu. Yeah, there was a different kind of intensity, wasn't there? Here comes Noah Bouchard. On Madalah Al-Elyan. Bouchard loves to come galloping forward. Bischovic. Away from two, there's a real turn of pace there, getting the better of Bouchard. Well, it didn't quite fall for Messi. Martinez made sure of that. Here's Raddy Al-Ataidi. Good start here from Al-Etifak, and the shot... Only five, six minutes into a game, why not have a go? That's good skill and pace. With Messi once more. Exchange with Al-Ataidi. Lovely flick, could be a chance, and that... ...side is posing a problem. Medran with the ball to find him, I think he was onside. I think the flag went up, but if it hadn't went in the back of the net, the goal would have stood. Because he was onside. That was an important touch from Bouchard. Tonight for Al-Nasr. Pass from Xiao Felix into Sadio Mane. Mane picking out Ronaldo. Well covered and smothered in the back by the home side. And it's an interesting fumble by the goalkeeper. Turkey, Ben Al-Jawsh. Lucky man. He wasn't that far from going inside. Made it a little bit too early there, Xiao Felix. Just need to take his time and wait for Ronaldo or Mane's run. Handball, free kick quickly taken by Messi, superbly as well. And the challenge by Bento on Moussa Dembele was not a clever one. And it was a straight red card. Far from that, it's a stone wall. It's a crazy handball. Quick thinking though with the free kick. Yeah, because that would have been a yellow card for a handball. Quick free kick. He's miles onside. The ball was moving. So just a couple of things just to check up from the VAR team. Far from that, it's a stone wall. It's a crazy handball. Yeah, it's a stone wall red card from the goalkeeper's point of view though. Just denying a goal scoring opportunity. Here it is again. That's a red card every time you look at it. Now Afalakidi not quite up to speed yet. He's been on the bench. This is his first ever appearance for Al Nasser. He's going to have to come off so early in the match so that the substitute goalkeeper can go on. Madran tees it up. Even if you don't score, you might just test him and make him nervy. Ten players of Al Nasser. Frustrated figure of Cristiano Ronaldo there. So, so good. It's just a fraction of a second the timing was out there, wasn't it, from Bento? Yeah. He clearly completely misses the ball and catches Moussa Dembele. You can see his eyes are absolutely lighting up Dembele because he knows he's getting there first. Yeah, decisive call from the referee. That's some run-up. I was just thinking the same. I've seen javelin throwers take this shorter run-up than that. Here's Ronaldo with a chance to break the deadlock. Flag's gone up anyway. Just coming back from an offside position. Doesn't get there quick enough, Ronaldo. So good spot by the linesman. Ronaldo is about 60 yards away from goal. Madran whipping it in. Dangerous ball and a chance at the far. See it again. He's onside. I think diving ahead is the finish. All tied up at nil-nil. Mistake by Bouchard. Glushchevich collects and goes for goal. Bit of a shank here. They're rattled, the champions. Rattled by the red card. Al-Riad and it's Al-Ataibi back into Messi who goes down. Referee says no penalty. Madran's ball in is a little long. Too far in front of Moussa Dembele. Did Martinez get the ball on the man? Yes, the shot is into the back of the net. Finally breaks his duck. But it didn't look as if that was going to be a goal. And the surprise was when suddenly the net rippled. It's hard because you don't want to be too critical of the 18-year-old goalkeeper. But it is a goalkeeper error. You know, Webber is really, really nervous. It's Duda's goal. And it is Al-Etifak. Who for the second season in a row are threatening to stick in the front wheel of Al-Nasr. Al-Etifak. Won one in the last five visits here in the league. It's the first goal that no foul. And Charles Felix has it now. A little flick. And beyond everybody, including Mane who was in behind Ronaldo. And he wants to try and find Ronaldo there. Charles Felix with a clip towards the far post. But I think. Ten minutes to go to halftime. Martinez quick with a free kick into Kingsley Coman. Who finds Ronaldo. He looks to shoot on sight. Brings the save. From Turkey Val Josh. What a save. Because this was going in. This is a top class save. See Ronaldo just waiting to try and get a yard. Step over. Pretty sure that was going in. Great save. It was going in. It's a super stop from the. Samuel Costa. Looking for Mane. A bit more danger about them now. Good save to deny. Charles Felix. I really thought Charles Felix was going to score. That's an amazing save with his left foot. Coman. Lovely play. Pass two. Pass three. Just glides and goes past about three or four players with ease. Couldn't hit the target. Fantastic. Tell you what. It's not a bad game. It's 2-2 now. We've had four goals in the last 15 minutes. Yannick Carrasco with an equaliser. A second goal for Al Etifak. Look how much time he had and how much ground he was able to gain. Goalkeeper's got to save that. Goalkeeper has to save that. A decent hit. Keeper should save it. Well, they are two poor goals from a defensive point of view. That have been conceded by the debutant there. There goes the half-time whistle. And it is a 45 minutes to forget for the champions. Al Nasser in big trouble in this match. Their third game of the season. Down to 10 after 12 minutes. Their goalkeeper, Bento, sent off. Straight red card for denying. Cristiano Ronaldo will be the player coming off. So Al Caivari will add to that. Coach Papas here. Roman trying to steal in. Have they got a goal back? Stretching for it was Martinez. And somehow it hasn't ended up in the back of the net. Richmond over Al Nasser. As the 10 men try to claw their way back into this game. Kingsley Coman now. Into Nawaf Bouchal. Pressure on the home defence. It strikes Madhu. And Mane is there to score. It's good to see that despite Al Nasser. Sadio Mane's first goal of the season. Bergs will be jangling somewhat for Al Etifak. Oh, absolutely. Put them under pressure. Even though they're winning the game 2-1. It just makes them nervy and edgy. Sharp play from Nawaf Bouchal. Strikes Madhu on the arm. The goal has been ruled out. Well, absolutely. That is the tight call. Bouchal's not offside. Control of the game. Visuographic. That's why the goal was disallowed. Charles Félix closing in. And Turki Balcaoş ends up on the deck. Still a yellow card to give away. Foul on the keeper. It's a daft challenge from Charles Félix. That's what they need to do, isn't it? Just make them do all the running. Now, Ryan Messi popping up on the near side this time. Looks for an opening. Decent shot as well. Al-Shamari across. Blocked by Abdulela Al-Amri. And cleared. Yellow shirt. You're a man down in these sort of conditions. It's Moussa Dembele trying to... When the ball goes into his feet, in the end, the shot... He's got well underneath the shot. Blazes over the bar. But he's played well. I think there's free kick for Al Moussa. It looked like a comfortable take for the keeper. Busy and purposeful. Now it's with Kingsley Coman up against Abdullah Khatib. That's an excellent ball towards Sadio Mane. He's stretched for it with Jack Hendry. Strong defending tonight. That's what Postakoglu's thinking. Bersan Celina. Kosovin's getting ready as Messi tees it up. Keeper makes the save. And there's a block by Martinez. Worked it well enough to hit Messi, who I think was just onside. That time it was a good save. Important block. Yeah, Madran with the initial shot now. That's a lovely ball into Al Hamdan, who's just come off the... He's a mile onside. Khatib, the player that was playing him on. This wouldn't drop for him quick enough. Jao Felix now for Al Nasser. Sliding it through. Excellent ball. Here's a chance and a goal for Sadio Mane. Brilliantly worked. By two top players to potentially... Great ball this from Jao Felix in behind. Looks like he's just onside Sadio Mane as well. Cute finish. Just got in there ahead of Abdullah Mahdu there. Sadio Mane. Really good finish for 2-1. Second time he's had the ball in the net in the second half of course. This time it's going to count. They've got themselves to blame. Al Etifak for not putting this game to bed. Final quarter of an hour of the game. Al Nader gets the deflection. Al Nasser have got a call. Jao Felix whips it into the net. Pulse have equalised. And once again it's the captain. Abdullah Al Abri. What a turnaround here. Absolutely amazing. First goal on Friday in a comfortable win over Al Riyad. And he's brought his team level here. Been a terrible performance this from Al Etifak's point of view on how not to control a football match. What an extraordinary few minutes. Little flick forward now. Collected by Jao Felix. Felix is still going. Upended just outside the box. Referee says no foul. Looked like a foul to me. I might be wrong. Your team's got 11 v 10. And you're winning 2-0 in the game. And now you're hanging on. That's a lovely ball from Jao Felix. Abdullah Al Hamdan. Couldn't quite pick out Sadio Mane. Who now collects. Brings the save. Possibly. Sadio Mane. Al Hamdan in the box. Jao Felix up there too. Mane. Lose. He's had nothing to do. The goalie and now. Here's a chance potentially to win the game. For Sadio Mane. Who sticks it home. Flag goes up for offside. Wow, what drama. Of course it will be checked. But Mane. Playing him onside. That's very, very tight. It was a cool, calm. Drama. Towards the end as well. Goal. It's a goal. 3-2 Al Nasser. What a match. What a turnaround. It's a goal. Plated comeback by the champions. Completed by Sadio Mane. And they've been down to 10. For the vast majority of the match. 2-0 down. With just over a quarter of an hour to go. Been so poor in this second half. On how not to manage. The game of football. All the credit. Has to go to. Postacoglu's men. Good eyes finish up for Mane. Just sat the goalkeeper down. Give him the eyes and whipped it into the other corner. That's what you pay the big bucks for. Quality like that. They can't believe it. What a win. And Mane reacts as if it was all. There are comebacks. And then there's this comeback tonight. By Al Nasser. The Saudi Arabian champions. This was something else. Down to 10. After 12 minutes. Their goalkeeper sent off. The debutant replacement. Conceding two goals to Al Etifak. The game. But Al Etifak must be wondering. How they ended up losing this match. Two up. With roughly a quarter of an hour to go. But somehow. The champions. Have prevailed. It's a gold-plated comeback for the ages. In the Saudi Pro League. And it's finished on the night. Al Etifak 2. The 10 men of Al Nasser. 3.