Al-Nassr hosted Ajman in the 4th round of the Pro-League on Saturday. The visitors secured a 2:1 victory in Riyadh. We had backed the hosts to win, giving them a 47 per cent chance. That prediction did not come to pass.
Ajdin Hrustic opened the scoring for the hosts in the 26th minute. To be fair, Al-Nassr controlled the early exchanges, pinning Ajman back. Marius Marin picked up a yellow card in the 31st minute, a sign of the pressure building. Walid Azarou also received a booking just before the break. The hosts went into the interval one-up, but the game remained open.
Sékou Baba Gassama and Lithierry da Silva Neves came on for Ajman in the 56th minute. Kevin Agudelo entered the fray for Al-Nassr in the 61st minute. By then, the visitors were looking sharper. Walid Azarou found the net in the 65th minute to level the score.
And here's the thing, the decisive moment arrived in the 73rd minute. Jobson missed a penalty for Ajman, but Saad El Hadani scored moments later to restore the lead. Al-Nassr responded immediately, taking off Marius Marin in the 75th minute. They pushed for an equaliser but could not break through. Kevin Agudelo and Mohamed Nasser picked up yellow cards in the 86th minute as tensions rose.
The statistics suggest a different reality for the hosts. Al-Nassr held 51 per cent possession and took 11 shots, yet only 4 hit the target. Ajman managed fewer attacks but created higher expected goals of 1.34 compared to the hosts' 1.19. It was a case of efficiency over volume.
The win moves Ajman up to 6th place with 9 points from 4 matches. Al-Nassr remain in 9th with 4 points. The hosts have lost 2 of their last 4 games, while the visitors have won 3.
