Al-Nassr 5-1 Al-Fateh: Joao Felix nets hat-trick to extend perfect start
Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix both scored from distance as Al-Nassr beat Al-Fateh 5-1 to move four points clear at the top of the league.
Joao Felix scored his second Saudi Pro League hat-trick of the season as Al-Nassr thrashed Al-Fateh 5-1 at Al-Awwal Park.
The Portugal international's opener was cancelled out by Sofiane Bendebka early in the second half, but Cristiano Ronaldo sparked a run of four goals in 20 minutes as Al-Nassr extended their lead at the top of the league to four points.
Joao Felix's strike after 13 minutes was a stunner, finding the top right corner from close to 30 yards out, but it looked like Al-Fateh were on their way to causing an upset when Bendebka equalised against the run of play.
Those worries increased for Jorge Jesus' side after Ronaldo saw his penalty saved by Amin Al Bukhari, but the striker got on the scoresheet a minute later with a curling effort from the edge of the box.
Ronaldo then turned provider for Joao Felix's second goal before Angelo teed up Kinglsey Coman for a straightforward finish in the 75th minute, putting the game beyond the reach of Al-Fateh.
Joao Felix then completed his treble soon after, firing into an empty net after Sadio Mane's initial effort was cleared off the line by captain Marwane Saadane.
Data Debrief: Good omens for Al-Nassr
It was a fairly rudimentary performance from Al-Nassr against a struggling Al-Fateh side, with the hosts producing 3.29 expected goals (xG) from 23 shots to the visitors' 1.5 from 10 attempts.
Al-Nassr have now won their first five matches of a league campaign for the third time in their history, also doing so in the 2014-15 and 2018-19 seasons. They won the league title on both of those occasions.
Coman also became just the second Al-Nassr player to be involved in goals in each of the first 5 matches of a season, after Mohammed Al-Sahlawi (August–October 2012).
