Ronaldo’s team hit by Jang Hyun-soo… Ronaldo in danger of becoming a supporting actor
Cristiano Ronaldo is a star that gets more attention than the rest of Saudi Arabia’s professional football world combined. However, he has not been able to lead his team to such success.
The most recent big match in the regular league was the match that Al-Hilal won 2-0 against Al-Nasr on the 19th (Korean time). Korean defender Jang Hyeon-soo played full-time and contributed to the scoreless defense. Ronaldo, the star of Al Nasr, played full-time and received only one yellow card instead of a goal. Al-Hilal’s Odion Ighalo scored twice from penalties.
Through this match, it is increasingly likely that the main character of the regular league will be Al Ittihad, not Al Nasr안전놀이터. Al Ittihad is leading the league with 10 wins and 1 draw in the last 11 league matches. They played 23 matches and collected 56 points. Al Nasr has one more match and is on 53 points. The regular league ends at round 30. If Al Ittihad does not slip significantly, it is difficult to reverse. The confrontation between the two teams is over. Al-Ittihad won 1-0 over Al Nasr in March, but Ronaldo was silent on the day.
The Al Ittihad team is relatively stable. Brazilian striker Homarinho came to the Middle East in 2014 from the Brazilian league and has been active on the Asian stage. There are Brazilian midfielder Bruno Henriki who has been through Europe and Ahmed Hegazi, the Egyptian national defender, but their names are inferior compared to Al-Nasr’s star players. Instead, his performance in the league is certain. Al Ittihad is a team that is far from international reputation, with only one national team player participating in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The protagonist of the cup competition is not Al-Nassr either. So far, Jang Hyun-soo’s team, Al-Hilal, is on a winning streak. Al-Hilal advanced to the final by winning 1-0 in the semifinals of the King’s Cup against Al Ittihad on the 24th. Al-Nasr advances to the final if they win the semi-final against Al-Wehda on the 25th. Another one-on-one match between Jang Hyun-soo and Ronaldo with the trophy could happen again.
Al-Hilal is also preparing for the final of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL), the biggest competition. On the 29th and May 6th, we will face East Asia representative Urawa Reds. Jang Hyun-soo is in a position where he can aim for the King’s Cup and the ACL double crown.
Ronaldo is also far from personal awards. With 11 goals in 11 matches, the score per game is the best, but it is difficult to chase the leading scorer Ighalo (18 goals) because he joined midway. The first season in Asia is in danger of ending without a military official.
