Ronaldo's Al Nassr lose ground in Saudi title race

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema both found the back of the net for their respective teams in Al Ittihad‘s Saudi Pro League clash with Al Nassr on Friday, but it was the French forward’s team who found a late winner to strengthen their title hopes.

Al Ittihad’s 2-1 win — their ninth in a row — at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah saw them move five points clear at the top of the table, before second-placed Al Hilal play on Saturday.

Benzema’s 55th-minute goal — his 10th in 10 league games — gave the hosts the lead before Ronaldo shot past Predrag Rajkovic from close range just two minutes later.

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Steven Bergwign dramatically earned all three points for Al Ittihad with a curling shot from the edge of the box that nestled into the far corner in second-half stoppage-time.

Al Nassr face Al Akhdoud in their next fixture on Jan. 9, while Al Ittihad face Neymar‘s Al Hilal in the quarterfinals of the King Cup of Champions on Jan. 7.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report