"He is so underrated", "Bro is an unsung superstar" - Al-Nassr fans praise Cristiano Ronaldo's teammate after 3-1 win over Al-Hilal
Al-Nassr fans online have heaped praise on Sadio Mane for his performance in the side's 3-1 win over Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League on Friday (April 4). The Senegalese forward produced a 'Player of the Match' worthy performance to help his side secure a resounding away win over their local rivals.
The Knights of Najd drew the first blood in the game as Ali Alhassan broke the deadlock just before halftime (45+4'). Stefano Pioli's side returned from the break with more boost as they doubled their lead two minutes into the second half through Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese superstar was beautifully set up by Mane, and he fired home for his 20th league goal of the season. Al-Hilal pulled a goal back in the 62nd minute through Ali Al-Bulayhi. The home team fought hard for an equalizer, but Al-Nassr held strong. Ronaldo delivered the icing on the cake when he bagged his second goal of the game via penalty (88').
Overall, it was a spirited performance from Ronaldo and company. However, fans singled out Sadio Mane for his contributions and showered praise on the 32-year-old. In his 90 minutes on the pitch, Mane created an assist, landed one shot on target, completed three out of six dribble attempts, and made 12 recoveries.
One fan claimed that the former Liverpool star does not get the credit he deserves.
"Sadio Mane is so underrated, " the fan wrote.
"Mane has always made his teammates look good, bro is an unsung superstar," another fan added.
One fan commended the Senegalese for his assist to Cristiano Ronaldo, writing:
"Sadio Mane did well! Could have also passed it to Duran for a simple tap in. Thank you, Mane. Our goat scored."
"Mané’s been insane today too man we really deserve to win," a fan posted.
"Respect for Sadio Mane," another fan hailed the winger.
"Sadio Mane MOTM. What a guy!" chimed in yet another fan.
Sadio Mane has registered seven goals and nine assists in 25 league outings for the Knights of Najd this term. Overall, he has nine goals and 11 assists in 38 matches across competitions.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr close gap on Al-Hilal after 3-1 victory
Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr colleagues delivered an impressive performance against rivals Al-Hilal in the Riyadh derby on Friday (April 4). Prior to their recent victory, the Knights of Najd had failed to beat Al-Hilal in their last seven meetings across competitions.
The victory saw Stefano Pioli's side close the gap with their rivals. Al-Nassr are third in the standings with 54 points from 26 matches, sitting right below Al-Hilal, who have 57 points in 26 games. Al-Ittihad still lead the league with 61 points and have played a game less.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, is still the top scorer in the league. The Al-Nassr forward has 21 goals from 25 league games this campaign.
