On Thursday evening, January 19, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo rolled back the years in Riyadh, as both superstars found the back of the net in an exhilarating exhibition match. PSG emerged victorious in a nine-goal thriller, with Messi opening the scoring and Ronaldo netting twice in the first half. The high-octane encounter saw PSG's Juan Bernat receive a red card late in the first half.
While the match may not have had much long-term significance for the teams involved, football fans around the globe were treated to a spectacle that will live long in the memory as a narrative that has captivated the sport for over a decade seemingly reached its climax in a thrilling goal-fest.
In the first half of the thrilling match at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Lionel Messi and Marquinhos scored for their respective teams, only to be answered by a Cristiano Ronaldo brace. The intensity of the match was further heightened when Bernat was sent off for a reckless tackle on Saudi international Salem Al-Dawsari.
The second half was even more action-packed, with Sergio Ramos putting PSG ahead with a goal from a Kylian Mbappe cross. South Korean Jang Hyun-soo then equalized with a powerful near-post header from a corner, resulting in a 3-3 draw.
Ali Al-Bulaihi's handball gifted the visitors a penalty, which was expertly dispatched by Mbappe on the hour. Hugo Ekitike then extended the lead to 5-3 with a thunderous finish after a tireless run from the halfway line.
At the hour-mark, both clubs took the precaution of substituting their star players, Ronaldo and Messi, to protect them from potential injuries. This allowed younger players to take the field and make their mark.
Anderson Talisca scored late for the Saudis in added time, but Ekitike's strike proved to be the decisive goal on the night. Despite his best efforts, 37-year-old Ronaldo was unable to get his Saudi Arabian adventure off to a winning start. However, he can take solace in his performance as he prepares to make his competitive debut for Al Nassr when they host Al Ettifaq on Sunday.
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