Ronaldo hat-trick leads Al Nassr to 5-3 win

Al Nassr beat Al Kholood 5-3 on October 29 as Cristiano Ronaldo scored a second-half hat-trick, bringing his reported career total closer to 1,000 goals while leaving a one-goal discrepancy between published and league-record tallies. Ronaldo scored in the 66th, 72nd and 81st minutes at Alawwal Park in Riyadh. His three goals came after Al Kholood twice took the lead in the first half and Al Nassr moved ahead before the break. Julien Domingues opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Ângelo Gabriel equalized, and Sadio Mané put Al Nassr in front before Antoine Essomba made it 2-2 just before halftime. Al Kholood scored again in stoppage time, with Domingues converting a penalty to complete his brace. João Félix assisted Al Nassr’s equalizer and Ronaldo’s first two goals; Mané set up Ronaldo’s third. The match was Ronaldo’s first since receiving the Ballon d’Or of All Time recognition, according to one account. Two of his first-half goals were ruled out for offside, that account also reported. Most reports put Ronaldo’s career tally at 985 after the hat-trick, leaving him 15 short of 1,000. A report citing the Saudi Pro League’s official website said the league’s tally would...