Al Nassr’s second goal against Al Faisaly has entered an official review process, after the identity of its scorer sparked debate between awarding it to Cristiano Ronaldo or deeming it an own goal by the opposing defender.
Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah reported that the Referees Committee of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation has decided to review the incident to determine the official scorer—a development concerning the player’s individual record that will not alter the match’s final result.
The incident occurred in the 49th minute when João Félix delivered a cross from a free-kick, and Ronaldo rose to meet it amidst the presence of Brazilian defender André Girotto before the ball settled in Al Faisaly’s net.
Match referee Abdullah Al-Owaydan recorded the goal under the name of Al Nassr’s captain in his official report, which was also adopted by the official Saudi Pro League website, leaving Ronaldo as the goalscorer in the official register unless a subsequent amendment is formally approved.
Conversely, statistical platforms classified the play as an own goal against Girotto, highlighting discrepancies among published match data and shifting the debate toward determining which player directed the ball into the net and the nature of the defender’s touch.
Information cited by Arriyadiyah from a Saudi Pro League source clarified that the referee’s match report serves as the official reference for goal attribution, and any modification must go through the Referees Committee; therefore, discrepancies across websites and applications do not constitute an official decision to strip the goal from Ronaldo.
The Portuguese star had found the net again minutes after the controversial incident, but his subsequent goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review, as Al Nassr concluded the match with a 3-1 victory in the eleventh round.
This review carries particular significance for Ronaldo in his pursuit of 1,000 goals, as the credited goal against Al Faisaly brought his total tally for club and country to 982 goals, leaving him 18 goals shy of the historic milestone he is chasing.
