Nassr's 1-1 draw in the AFC Champions League Elite with Al-Shorta of Iraq on Monday due to a viral infection, fired home from the penalty spot after 33 minutes for his third goal of the season

The win takes Al Nassr to fourth place with eight points from four games, while Ettifaq stays third with nine points in the same number of outings.

Chris Smalling had a Saudi Pro League debut to forget as he made his bow for Al Fayha and it's up there with some of the worst. Former Manchester United defender Smalling left Europe this summer after departing Italian side Roma following five seasons for the Serie A outfit.

Currently, Al Ettifaq, with three wins out of three, is third in the Saudi Pro League standings, whereas Al Nassr, with one win and two draws, is in seventh place.

Al-Nassr have appointed former Milan boss Stefano Pioli as their new head coach after parting company with Luis Castro, the Saudi Pro League club confirmed on Wednesday.

The Italian, who led AC Milan to the Serie A title in 2022, was appointed on September 20, to succeed Luis Castro as new coach

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring as Al Nassr defeated Al Ettifaq 3-0 and gave Stefano Pioli victory in his first game as coach of the Saudi Arabian club on Friday.

Cristiano Ronaldo was on the scoresheet as former Milan coach Stefano Pioli recorded his first win in charge of Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr on Friday night.Ronaldo scores on Pioli’s Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring as Al-Nassr secured a 3-0 win against Ettifaq in a Saudi Pro League match, marking Stefano Pioli's first victory as coach after replacing Luis Castro. Salem Al-Najdi and Anderson Talisca also scored.