The star-studded Al-Nassr, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, failed to clinch the Saudi Arabian title prematurely after a 1-1 draw with fierce rivals Al-Hilal, led by Simone Inzaghi, in the penultimate round of the local league. With 33 games played, Al-Nassr has 83 points, while Al-Hilal has 78 points from 32 games. Al-Hilal, who remain unbeaten in their 32 league matches this season, still have a chance to overtake the leaders in the final standings.

The match could have started perfectly for visiting Al-Hilal, as Karim Benzema almost scored in the 4th minute, but Bento Krebski made a crucial save. In the 37th minute, Mohamed Simakan put Al-Nassr ahead, but an own goal by Krebski in the 98th minute of added time dramatically altered the temporary standings. Benzema had earlier scored a goal, but it was disallowed for offside.

Ronaldo, who captained the team, was among the starters but failed to find the back of the net again, keeping his tally short of 1,000 goals. Al-Nassr had a formidable lineup, including João Félix, Sadio Mané, Kingsley Coman, Marcelo Brozovic, and others who were recently playing for some of the most renowned teams in Europe.

The match was filled with drama, including a missed opportunity by Coman and a stunning own goal by Krebski that denied Al-Nassr their title. With one more round to go, Al-Nassr still has a chance to secure their championship if Al-Hilal fails to win their final match on May 16 against Neom.

Meanwhile, Al-Nassr also has a chance for a golden double if they can beat Damac next week and win the AFC Champions League final against Osaka this weekend.