Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals in the first half of a friendly match that brought together the Riyadh Season team and Paris Saint-Germain at King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh on Thursday, in his first appearance after moving to the rival Al-Nassr in the Saudi Professional Football League last month.
Qatari referee Abdul Rahman Al Jassim awarded a penalty kick in favor of the 37-year-old Portuguese striker, after colliding with Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas, to undergo treatment before scoring the kick himself and equalizing 1-1 for the Riyadh Season team in a friendly match against the French champions.
Lionel Messi advanced to Paris Saint-Germain after three minutes from the start, after a wonderful pass from his colleague Neymar, before Ronaldo equalized in the 34th minute.
The most famous referee, Al-Jassim, issued a direct red card to Juan Bernat, defender of Paris Saint-Germain, after a strong intervention against Salem Al-Dosari in the 39th minute, to prevent him from being alone in Navas’ goal.
Despite the numerical shortage, Brazilian Marquinhos returned the French club to the lead two minutes before the end of the first half, after a pass from Kylian Mbappe.
Al-Jassem awarded a penalty kick in favor of Neymar in stoppage time, which he executed himself, but Mohammed Al Owais, the goalkeeper of the Riyadh season team, brilliantly saved it.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time for the half, Ronaldo followed up with a shot that bounced off the crossbar to put it powerfully into the net.