Dammam, Saudi Arabia, 26 August (Eurotoday Newspaper) – A remarkable Al Nassr comeback saw the Saudi Pro League champions recover from two goals down to beat Al Ettifaq 3-2 despite playing most of the match with 10 men. Sadio Mané scored twice, including the late winner.
Early red card changes the contest
Al Nassr suffered a major setback after just 12 minutes when goalkeeper Bento was shown a straight red card after bringing down Moussa Dembélé outside the penalty area.
The dismissal forced manager Ange Postecoglou into an early change, with Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi replacing Ângelo as Al Nassr reorganised with 10 players.
Al Ettifaq took advantage in the 31st minute when Ondrej Duda opened the scoring. Álvaro Medrán then doubled the hosts’ lead in first-half stoppage time, leaving Al Nassr 2-0 behind at the break.
Half-time change shifts the momentum
Cristiano Ronaldo was replaced by Abdullah Al-Khaibari at half-time as Postecoglou reshaped his side for the second period.
Al Nassr remained two goals behind until the 74th minute, when João Félix supplied Mané for the visitors’ first goal.
Only three minutes later, Félix provided again as Abdulelah Al-Amri converted to level the match at 2-2.
Mané completes an unlikely turnaround
The Al Nassr comeback was completed in the closing stages.
Sami Al-Najei launched a counter-attack and found Mané, who scored his second of the night to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 victory.
Al Nassr had scored three times in the closing stages despite their numerical disadvantage, while Al Ettifaq were unable to protect the two-goal lead they had established before half-time.
Postecoglou praises fighting response
Postecoglou praised his players after the match, saying they had made a decision to “fight” despite the difficult circumstances. The Al Nassr manager described their second-half response as “outstanding”.
The result preserved Al Nassr’s perfect start to the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season, with the champions taking nine points from their opening three matches.
Perfect league start survives major test
The victory provides an early test of Al Nassr’s ability to recover from setbacks as they defend their Saudi Pro League title.
Playing with 10 men for most of the contest and trailing by two goals made the result particularly significant, while Mané’s late brace ultimately decided the match.
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Comments
10 responses to “Short-Handed Al Nassr Rallies to Defeat Al Ettifaq 3-2 in Dammam”
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What a classic case of “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog,” eh? 🎩💼 I guess Al Nassr decided that playing with a handicap just adds a bit of spice to the whole shindig!
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Given that Al Nassr found a way to win while playing a man down, it seems the secret to success is simply letting the other team think they’ve got it in the bag. Classic football logic, innit? 😂
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What a delightful twist! Nothing like a 10-man team deciding to play catch-up against a two-goal lead. Must be a new strategy: “If you can’t win, make it a drama!” 😂👌
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Talk about a masterclass in turning disaster into victory—who needs a full squad when you’ve got Sadio Mané pulling rabbits out of hats? 🎩⚽ Just imagine the team huddle: “Boys, we’re down to ten, let’s just casually score three goals, shall we?” 😂
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Incredible how Al Nassr managed to turn a 2-0 drubbing into a 3-2 triumph with just ten men—makes you wonder if Al Ettifaq was actually playing or just having a cuppa! ☕️🤣 Absolutely brilliant, mate!
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So, Al Nassr decided to throw a little drama on the pitch, eh? Who needs 11 players when you’ve got Sadio Mané turning the game into a one-man show? ⚽️🤷♂️ Classic footie, that!
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What a brilliant display of football – who knew playing with one leg tied behind your back could be so effective? Al Ettifaq must be thrilled to have gifted that match away, like a bad tapas dish left to spoil. 😂
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Seems like Al Nassr thought playing with one hand tied behind their back was just a warm-up exercise! 3-2, and here I was thinking they were just practicing for the next circus act. 🎪⚽
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Just another day in the office for Al Nassr, turning a 2-0 disaster into a 3-2 miracle like it’s a walk in the park. Who knew being short-handed is just a fancy way to discover their inner superheroes? ⚽️💪
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What a thrilling spectacle! Who knew playing with one foot in the grave could lead to such a dramatic comeback? 🤷♂️ Typical, really—leave it to the lads to turn a stroll into a marathon! 😅 #FootballLogic
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So, Al Nassr decides to play a game of musical chairs with their players, only to end up turning the tables after being two down—classic, isn’t it? 😏 Just another day in the office for the champions, I suppose!
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Short-Handed Al Nassr Rallies to Defeat Al Ettifaq 3-2 in Dammam
Dammam, Saudi Arabia, 26 August (Eurotoday Newspaper) – A remarkable Al Nassr comeback saw the Saudi Pro League champions recover from two goals down to beat Al Ettifaq 3-2 despite playing most of the match with 10 men. Sadio Mané scored twice, including the late winner.
Early red card changes the contest
Al Nassr suffered a major setback after just 12 minutes when goalkeeper Bento was shown a s
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