MW7 Talking Points: Ronaldo to rescue, Al Ittihad bite back, Al Najmah need lift | OneFootball

Are you not entertained? If you’re not tuning into the Roshn Saudi League every week this season, then you’re 100 percent missing out.

Matchweek 7 saw an incredible 30 goals scored at an average of more than three per game, with the Al Khaleej-Al Ittihad fixture accounting for eight of those in what will surely go down as one of this season’s most remarkable matches.

If you were unlucky to miss any of the action, here's our pick of the major storylines from another incredible round of RSL.

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Ronaldo rescues Al Nassr

Cometh the moment, cometh the man.

When Al Nassr were in their hour of need, who else but Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to save their blushes and keep alive their perfect 2025-26 RSL record for a seventh game?

Staring down the barrel of their first dropped points of the season, level at 1-1 with Al Fayha deep into second-half stoppage-time - Ronaldo had earlier cancelled out Jason's goal - Al Nassr were awarded a dramatic late penalty.

Admitting, even with all his experience, to a few extra butterflies in the stomach, Ronaldo calmly slotted home the spot-kick to deliver Al Nassr a seventh successive league victory, keeping the table-toppers three points clear at the summit.

And, in continuing his seemingly unstoppable march towards 1,000 career goals, at the same time signalling his intent to land a third golden boot on the bounce, Ronaldo showed once again that he is the man for the big occasion.

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Al Ittihad show champion fight

Al Khaleej must still be wondering how they let this one slip. Already one of this season’s surprise packets, “surprise” was an understatement when they raced to a 4-0 lead at home to champions Al Ittihad. Onlookers were needing to pick up their jaw off the floor. Was this actually happening?

What must new manager Sergio Conceicao have been thinking half-time? Whatever it was, and whatever he said to his players, he needs to bottle that for the remainder of the season.

If there were any doubts about Al Ittihad’s championship mentality after three RSL games without a win, it was put to rest in a breathtaking second 45 minutes. Few teams ever come from four goals down; fewer still do it with 10 men.

But that’s exactly what Al Ittihad did - Fabinho was sent off just after the half hour - including two goals deep into stoppage-time to rescue the most remarkable point. Are the title-holders back?

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Al Taawoun flex muscles

The biggest shock about Al Taawoun is that we continue to be shocked by Al Taawoun.

While some ungenerous folk might have pointed to their previous five wins - aside from the victory against Al Khaleej - coming against teams largely near the bottom of the table, the 2-0 triumph at home to Al Qadsiah proved their bona-fides.

Seven rounds in and they boast an attack that’s second behind only Al Nassr for goals scored, with 18.

Again, the surprise is that we’re surprised. This is the team that finished fourth as recently as 2023-24, playing the role of interloper that season.

And with the team back together again, with manager Pericles Chamusca back in charge, Al Taawoun have picked up exactly where they left off: disrupting the RSL status quo.

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Stalemate in South African showdown

History was made in Dammam when the first two South Africans to ever feature in the RSL faced off the first time, but it’s hard to imagine either Al Hazem’s Elias Mokwana or Al Ettifaq’s Mohau Nkota walked away thrilled with the result.

It’s only fitting that both played a role in the first South African showdown, with Mokwana providing an assist for all-time RSL record-holder Omar Al Somah to edge Al Hazem ahead 2-1 just after the hour mark before Nkota nabbed a 90th-minute equaliser.

But the 2-2 draw did little to advance to needs of their respective sides, who remain in the bottom half of the table. For Al Ettifaq in particular, they are quickly losing touch with those above them.

Mohau Nkota scores at the death to rescue point for Al Ettifaq v Al Hazem

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Al Najmah pain continues

Al Najmah are still some way from having the worst start to a RSL season - that unfortunate honour sits with Al Ansar, who lost their first 17 fixtures of the 2011-12 campaign - but things keep going from bad to worse for the Unaizah outfit after yet another defeat.

The toughest thing to take will be how fine the margins have been. Aside from a 5-1 reverse to Al Kholood, five of the promoted club’s seven losses have been by a single goal - including against giants such as Al Ittihad and Al Ahli. They’re the champions of Saudi Arabia and Asia, respectively.

So close and yet so far, as was the case against Al Okhdood in Matchweek 7 when Al Najmah succumbed 2-1 to an 80th-minute goal.

With the high-flying Al Hilal to come this week, the pain doesn’t look like easing for the division’s bottom team anytime soon. The pressure, most definitely, is ramping up on manager Mario Silva.