Abha, Saudi Arabia – The floodlights blazed over Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium on April 22, 2025, as Damac squared off against Al-Nassr in a Saudi Pro League match that carried the weight of pride, points, and a long, lopsided history. Fans packed the stands, their chants bouncing off the concrete, while the air crackled with the kind of tension only a David-versus-Goliath matchup can muster. For Damac, it was a chance to snap a winless streak against Al-Nassr that’s stretched over 1,474 days. For Al-Nassr, it was about clawing back ground in a title race that’s slipping through their fingers.
Damac, sitting 11th in the league with 31 points, came in riding the high of a 3-1 win over Al-Kholood. Their attack, led by former Besiktas winger Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, who bagged a brace from the penalty spot in that last outing, looked sharp. Nicolae Stanciu’s curling free-kick in the same game had fans buzzing about a potential upset. The home side’s lineup was expected to feature goalkeeper Zeghba guarding the net, with a backline of Solan, Chafai, Bedrane, and Al-Anazi. Midfielders Al-Bishi, Antolic, and Hamed were set to feed Stanciu and N’Koudou, with Al-Shahrani up top. Damac’s recent form showed grit—one loss in their last four matches after dropping four straight before that. But their home record was shaky, with five losses in their last six at Prince Sultan.
Al-Nassr, third in the standings with 57 points, rolled into Abha bruised from a 2-1 defeat to Al-Qadisiyah on April 18. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s late strike for Qadisiyah had exposed cracks in Al-Nassr’s armor, leaving them 11 points adrift of league leaders Al-Ittihad. The Knights of Najd, as Al-Nassr are known, were staring down the barrel of a lost title race. Cristiano Ronaldo, the team’s talisman, trained intensely ahead of the match, his presence a reminder of the firepower Al-Nassr could unleash. But injuries plagued the squad. Anderson Talisca was sidelined for the season with a thigh issue, and Waleed Abdullah, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Abdulelah Al-Amri, and Sultan Al-Ghannam were also likely absent. The attack was expected to lean on youngsters Wesley, Duran, and Angelo, a trio of 20- and 21-year-olds tasked with filling the void.
History wasn’t kind to Damac. In 13 meetings with Al-Nassr, they’ve managed just one win against nine losses, with Al-Nassr riding a seven-game winning streak in the fixture. Damac haven’t kept a clean sheet against their rivals in any of those clashes. Al-Nassr’s last visit to Abha, back in April 2024, ended in an 8-0 rout, with Ronaldo netting a hat-trick. That memory loomed large as Hungarian referee Tamas Bognar was named to officiate, a detail announced on April 22 via Al-Nassr’s official channels.
The match itself, kicking off under Abha’s clear night sky, was billed as a must-watch. Al-Nassr’s social media buzzed with a post on April 21 showing the team touching down in Abha, their yellow kits gleaming under the plane’s lights. Damac, meanwhile, were quietly confident, their camp focused on ending that nearly four-year drought against their powerhouse opponents. The Saudi Pro League’s official accounts hyped the Round 29 clash, noting Damac’s underdog spirit and Al-Nassr’s desperate need for points.
For fans, it was more than a game. In Abha’s tight-knit stadium, where every shout echoes, the stakes felt personal. Damac’s supporters, waving banners and draped in green, dreamed of a miracle. Al-Nassr’s faithful, some traveling hundreds of miles, banked on their team’s pedigree to deliver. The result would either tighten the screws on Al-Nassr’s fading title hopes or give Damac a rare moment of glory against one of Saudi football’s giants.
The match was played on April 22, 2025, at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Abha. Damac entered with 31 points, ranking 11th, while Al-Nassr held 57 points, sitting third. Al-Ittihad led the league with 68 points.