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A day after receiving his nomination for the CAF Player of the Year award, William Troost-Ekong, captain of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, delivered an impressive performance for his new club, Al Kholood, in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Troost-Ekong, who recently joined Al Kholood from Greek side PAOK in the summer transfer window, played the full 90 minutes.
The fans at the King Abdullah Stadium witnessed a dramatic six-goal encounter as both sides showcased attacking brilliance. Al Nassr, missing star player Cristiano Ronaldo from their matchday squad, still put up a strong fight with Talisca and Aymeric Laporte finding the back of the net.
Talisca led the charge with a brace, including a crucial late penalty, while Laporte’s header provided a moment of quality. However, Al Kholood responded bravely with goals from Myziane Maolida, Jackson Muleka, and the standout performance from Troost-Ekong, who guided the defence while making vital contributions in attack.
Despite being considered the underdogs, Al Kholood opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Muleka’s low cross found Maolida, whose shot deflected off Ayman Yahya and trickled into the net. However, Al Nassr equalised five minutes later with a looping header from Laporte, capitalising on a corner kick.
Al Nassr then took the lead in the 24th minute when Sadio Mane’s initial shot was parried by Al Kholood’s goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe, only for Talisca to pounce on the rebound.
Refusing to back down, Al Kholood levelled the game just four minutes later, with Maolida curling a brilliant shot into the bottom-right corner from the edge of the box, leaving Al Nassr’s goalkeeper Bento helpless.
The second half saw Al Kholood gain confidence and match their more illustrious opponents in every aspect. They took the lead once more in the 70th minute, thanks to a well-placed finish from Muleka, who tapped in after a dazzling run and cross from substitute Hammam Al Hammami.
Just when it seemed that Al Kholood would pull off a stunning victory, a VAR intervention awarded Al Nassr a late penalty. Talisca stepped up and calmly converted the spot kick to seal his brace and secure a point for his side, keeping Al Nassr’s unbeaten run intact.
Talisca scored twice for AL Nassr vs Al KholoodThe draw keeps Al Nassr in third place with 18 points from eight matches, while Al Kholood climbed to 14th place with six points. Despite being the underdogs, Al Kholood’s spirited performance, led by Troost-Ekong, earned them a well-deserved point.
This impressive display from Troost-Ekong will undoubtedly boost his confidence following his CAF Player of the Year nomination, while Al Kholood’s tenacity shows they are not to be underestimated in this season’s Saudi Pro League campaign.
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