Joao Felix finally back scoring - although Al Nassr star was always 'relaxed' | OneFootball

Finally, after 14 Roshn Saudi League matches without a goal and, for the first time in 2026, Joao Felix was back on the scoresheet.

To be fair, the Al Nassr forward had hardly not been contributing.

Since finding the net last in the 2-2 draw with Al Ettifaq way back in December, Felix has been foremost in helping the Riyadh giants climb back to the top of the table. There were the seven assists in his previous 10 appearances, not to mention the recent Man of the Match performances at Al Kholood and Al Fayha.

However, the goals just hadn’t come. Until Saturday.

Away to Al Khaleej on the east coast, Felix fired home a double in a thumping 5-0 victory, the Portugal forward forcing the game from the hosts with his side’s third and fourth goals.

For the first, Felix both began and finished a well-worked move. The second, though, was the best of the night: ghosting into the home penalty area, Felix controlled Angelo’s fizzed pass with his right by flipping it onto his left and volleying past Al Khaleej goalkeeper Anthony Moris.

And, with it, a long drought was well and truly dispelled. That said, Felix was never in doubt the goals would come flooding back.

Joao Felix scores a brace in Al Nassr's 5-0 win at Al Khaleej

“This comes with maturity,” he said afterwards. “I'm not new in the game, so I know how I need to deal with those kinds of things. If I'm not scoring, it's OK. It happens.

"But sometimes I will shoot bad and it goes in, and sometimes I shoot good and it doesn't go in. So I just need to be calm, just to stay relaxed, because the goals will appear when I need.”

No doubt, more will be needed as this most gripping of RSL title races rushes to its conclusion. At the end of Matchweek 26, and now with only eight rounds remaining, Al Nassr nest at the summit, three points clear of capital rivals Al Hilal and five above third-placed Al Ahli.

Al Qadsiah can’t be counted out either. Although fourth, Brendan Rodgers' surging side are seven points back and riding a major wave of momentum.

For Felix, though, Al Nassr have destiny in their own hands.

“Yeah, of course we know the results [of our title rivals],” said the summer signing from Chelsea, who climbed to 15 RSL goals for the season. “Yesterday we saw the [Al Qadsiah versus Al Ahli] game. Today, I don't know the Al Hilal score [yet], but we are first.

“If we do our job, we will win the league. We just depend on ourselves. And that's our focus.”

Felix concluded the game with another assist - his 11th of this debut campaign - to move joint-top of the 2025-26 assist charts, while he departed Dammam clutching an eighth Man of the Match award. In the race for Fans' Player of the Season, only Al Qadsiah's Julian Quinones has more (11).

"We are well; we are on the right track," Felix said of Al Nassr's title challenge, although he could well have been talking about himself. "The mentality is where it has to be."