Ronaldo’s disputed Al Nassr goal remains under review

Al Nassr’s 3-1 win over Al Faisaly on October 23 left Cristiano Ronaldo’s disputed 49th-minute goal under review, with the Saudi Pro League crediting him while Opta recorded an own goal by defender Andrei Girotto. Ronaldo headed João Félix’s free kick toward goal, and Girotto appeared to touch the ball before it went in. The league’s records credited Ronaldo based on referee Abdullah Al Owaidan’s report. Opta’s tracker, cited by ESPN, instead listed Girotto as the scorer of an own goal. The competing attributions have left Ronaldo’s official career total dependent on the outcome of the review. Tariq Kayal, chairman of the league’s compliance committee, said the committee was waiting for the referee’s statement before studying the reports and deciding whether to uphold or reject the attribution. Any decision would be submitted to the league for final approval. No final ruling is reported, so the tally remains subject to change: it would be 982 if Ronaldo keeps the goal and 981 if it is changed to an own goal. The question carries significance for Ronaldo’s pursuit of 1,000 career goals. The strike was initially counted as his 982nd, leaving him 18 short of the milestone; a...