Ronaldo hits 960 as Al Nassr beat Damac but title dream is in Al Hilal's hands

Cristiano Ronaldo reached his 960th career goal on Wednesday as Al-Nassr claimed a 2-1 victory over Damac in the Saudi Pro League, keeping their title hopes alive despite remaining four points behind leaders Al-Hilal.

Al-Nassr made a strong start away from home, scoring within five minutes through Abdulrahman Ghareeb. After receiving a pass from Kingsley Coman on the right wing, Ghareeb took a good touch and finished cleanly past the goalkeeper.

The visitors had several chances to extend their lead in the first half. Joao Felix blazed one effort over the bar and hit another off the crossbar, while Al-Nassr also appealed for a penalty after the ball appeared to hit an opponent's arm. Despite their dominance, Al-Nassr couldn't add to their advantage before halftime.

Ronaldo doubled Al-Nassr's lead early in the second half. Felix played him through on goal, and Ronaldo clipped the ball past Damac's goalkeeper Kewin for his 960th career goal.

The Portuguese forward has now recorded 25 goals and assists for the season. He remains only 40 goals short of reaching the 1,000-goal milestone in his career. He is unstoppable.

Damac reduced the deficit in the 68th minute when Jamal Harkass headed in from a corner kick after being left unmarked at the near post. The goal made for a tense final stages, though Al-Nassr held on for the win.

Ronaldo thought he had sealed the result with another goal late on, but it was ruled out for offside.

The victory closes Al-Nassr's gap on Al-Hilal to four points. However, Al-Nassr's title dream still rests on Al-Hilal's mercy. The leaders are serial winners with a track record of closing out campaigns, making it unlikely they will let the title slip away. Remember, Al Nassr haven't won a title since Ronaldo's arrival.

The pendulum has swung dramatically since the campaign's early stages. Al-Nassr led the table after 10 games with a perfect start, but Al-Hilal's consistency has allowed them to seize control. If Al-Hilal beat bottom-half side Al Feyha, they would extend their lead back to seven points.

Al-Nassr's defense also struggled to contain Damac despite them being the league's lowest-scoring team, a concern as they look to mount a sustained challenge in the remaining fixtures.