Mane and Ronaldo seal 2-0 win as AlNassr beat AlIttihad to go top

AlNassr moved three points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League on Friday after a 2-0 win over reigning champions AlIttihad in Jeddah, with Sadio Mane opening the scoring in the ninth minute and Cristiano Ronaldo heading home a second in the 35th. The match, played at King Abdullah Sports City — also referred to by some reports as Al Inma Bank Stadium — ended the hosts unbeaten start to the season and left AlNassr with a perfect record of four wins from four.

Mane produced the match's opening moment when he volleyed in from Kingsley Coman's cross, and he later supplied the cross that Ronaldo met with a powerful header from close range. AlNassr controlled much of the first half and survived a largely quiet second period to preserve the clean sheet. The victory lifted the visitors to 12 points, three clear of AlIttihad, who suffered their first defeat of the campaign.

The match underscored recurring themes of the early season. Joao Felix, who has been influential in AlNassr's build-up play this term, missed several clear chances, while Predrag Rajkovic and the AlIttihad attack were unable to find a way past Brazilian goalkeeper Bento Krepski. Match reports said AlIttihad...