Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo: The end of an era?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s bizarre viral strike for Al-Nassr on Friday night should have been disallowed, according to guidance given to match officials. Ronaldo’s brace helped his Saudi side record an important 4-3 victory over title rivals Al-Ahli in the Pro League.
Ronaldo and team-mate Talisca both scored twice in the game. Franck Kessie and Riyad Mahrez both scored for Al-Ahli in a match featuring some of the best additions to the Saudi top-flight over the last year.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was in goal for the visitors but had no chance with Ronaldo’s first strike – quite literally because he was unsighted as the striker raced through in the fourth minute.
Pyrotechnics released in the crowd had left a thick cloud of smoke in Mendy’s goalmouth. It left the Senegal international unable to see as Ronaldo collected Sadio Mane’s pass and struck goalwards.
READ MORE: Ronaldo scores very strange Al Nassr goal as Mendy blinded by smoke[RECAP]
Mendy can just about be seen diving late in a desperate attempt to keep out the shot. The smoke is so thick that the goal frame can barely be seen on video footage of the match.
IFAB’s Laws of the Game suggest that the referee should have at the very least disallowed the goal, if not halted the match earlier. Referees have the power to halt, suspend or abandon matches due to outside interference under Law Five.
Express Sport understands that guidance given to referees worldwide is that matches should be halted when an interference unfairly impacts a player. Given how unsighted Mendy was as Ronaldo ran through, it can be safely assumed that he was seriously impeded by the smoke.
Ronaldo’s side went on to take a two-goal lead and were 3-1 ahead at half-time. Despite a late comeback by the visitors, Al-Nassr recorded their fifth victory of the campaign.
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The Portugal star reflected afterwards: “We started the game with a bang, grabbing an early two-goal lead. Our ultimate goal was the win and putting smiles on our fans’ faces. We now stand at the summit of the leaderboard.”
Other results mean that Al-Nassr have since fallen to fifth in the table. But their recent form is the best of any side in the Saudi Pro League.
The Riyadh-based club lost their first two league matches of the season, with many predicting that Ronaldo could be set for another year without a top-flight title. But five consecutive wins have put them back among the league’s best teams.
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