Al-Nassr hosted Al-Hilal in a match that could decide the Saudi Pro League (SPL) title on Tuesday.
The hosts led the league table, and a win or a draw would guarantee them the trophy.
Al-Nassr were eager to claim their first SPL title since 2019 and their 11th overall, spearheaded by captain and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mohamed Simakan gave the Riyadh-based outfit the lead in the 37th minute as he turned home a loose ball from a Marcelo Brozovic corner.
Al-Nassr were desperate to add to the lead, but Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman missed big chances as Ronaldo struggled to get into the game.
The main objective was not to concede, and Al Nassr had held strong for the most part until a miscommunication between Inigo Martinez and the goalkeeper Bento cost them two points.
In the dying moments, Bento had a simple ball to deal with but collided with Martinez, allowing the ball to slip from his grasp and trickle into the net for Al-Hilal’s equaliser.
A 1-1 draw means Al-Nassr will have to wait at least till the final game against Damac on May 21 before they can get their hands on the trophy.
A visibly frustrated Ronaldo could not believe how his teammates managed to bungle such a straightforward situation.
Ronaldo (26 goals) and Joao Felix (20) have spearheaded Al-Nassr’s title charge and will be eager to reap the fruits of their labour later this month.
Unfortunately, Al-Nassr (83 points) must continue looking over their shoulders for unbeaten Al-Hilal (78 points), who have a game in hand ahead of the final day.
Al-Nassr will be desperate to avoid a final-day capitulation. They have won only one of their past three games, and alarm bells are ringing.
Ronaldo wants to crown his efforts with his first official trophy in the Middle East after bagging 121 goals and 24 assists in 140 appearances for the club.
