DAMMAM: Al-Nassr suffered their first Saudi Pro League defeat since January after a 16-game winning run that had taken them to the top of the table with a five-point cushion, as Al-Qadsiah earned a 3-1 victory at the Prince Mohammed bin Fahad Stadium on Sunday.
Brendan Rodgers’ Al-Qadsiah became the only team to defeat Al-Nassr home and away this season, delivering a disciplined performance that dents the league leaders’ title hopes.
Al-Nassr remain top on 79 points despite the defeat, but the result opens the door for Al-Hilal to close the gap to just two points if they win their game in hand. That scenario would set up a potentially decisive clash between the sides on May 12, with top spot now firmly under threat.
Although Al-Nassr beat Al-Ahli last week, their performance raised concerns, with the first 75 minutes exposing vulnerabilities before Cristiano Ronaldo and Kingsley Coman rescued the result. Questions remained over whether they could break down an Al-Qadsiah side unbeaten at home since January 2025 — and one of the league’s most difficult teams to beat.
From the outset, Al-Qadsiah’s tactical adjustment to their usual 5-3-2 system unsettled the visitors.
It was not top scorer Julián Quiñones who made the early impact, but right wing-back Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, the league’s leading assist provider from defence. He repeatedly exploited space behind Iñigo Martínez, often acting as an additional forward.
He first broke through early on, firing over before being flagged offside, before forcing Bento into a strong save in the 10th minute after another run in behind. The breakthrough arrived in the 24th minute when Christopher Bonsu Baah found Abu Al-Shamat unmarked, and he finished confidently for 1-0.
Al-Nassr responded before half-time, equalising in the 39th minute when Marcelo Brozovic slipped João Félix into the box to curl home past Koen Casteels.
However, Al-Qadsiah regained control after the break. In the 55th minute, Brozovic was caught in possession, allowing Quiñones to set up Musab Al-Juwayr for the second goal.
Al-Nassr struggled to create clear chances thereafter and were punished again in the 78th minute when substitute Gabriel Carvalho dispossessed Brozovic before setting up Quiñones to seal a 3-1 win.
The result keeps Al-Qadsiah’s hopes of a direct AFC Champions League Elite place alive as they move to 68 points, just one behind third-placed Al-Ahli, who have a game in hand. Al-Ahli strengthened their position with a 4-0 win over Al-Okhdood, who became the second team to be relegated this season.
Elsewhere, Al-Taawoun boosted their continental qualification push with a 5-1 win over Al-Shabab in Riyadh, with Roger Martinez scoring twice. They move four points clear of sixth-placed Al-Ittihad, who have two games in hand.
Saudi Pro League action resumes on Monday, with Al-Riyadh facing Al-Fayha at 7:10 p.m., before Al-Ittihad host Al-Kholood at 9 p.m. in their bid for the final AFC Champions League Elite spot. Al-Ettifaq and Al-Najma also kick off at the same time.
