Ronaldo reaches 985 career goals as hat-trick seals Al-Nassr win

Cristiano Ronaldo moved to 985 career goals with a second-half hat-trick in Al-Nassr's 5-3 victory over Al-Kholood on Thursday. According to BBC Sport, the 41-year-old Portugal forward scored three times in a 15-minute spell, turning a match that had been level at 2-2 into a win for the defending Saudi Pro League champions.

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The league's official match report described an opening half in which both sides held the lead. Julien Domingues put Al-Kholood ahead in the 16th minute before Angelo equalised eight minutes later. Sadio Mane then scored for Al-Nassr, but Essomba restored the visitors' position with an equaliser in first-half stoppage time. Al-Kholood had entered the match without a win in four games.

Ronaldo's decisive contribution began when he converted a cut-back from Joao Felix. The pair combined again six minutes later, with Ronaldo heading in a cross from the right. Mane supplied the pass for his third goal with nine minutes remaining. Domingues subsequently scored a stoppage-time penalty for Al-Kholood, completing his own double without changing the outcome.

Felix finished with four assists, including the deliveries for Ronaldo's first two goals, BBC Sport reported. His contribution also covered the goals scored by Angelo and Mane before the interval. Between them, the two Portugal internationals provided the finishing and supply for much of Al-Nassr's five-goal return in a match that produced eight goals overall.

The treble was the 67th hat-trick of Ronaldo's career and his seventh for Al-Nassr, according to the BBC. His remaining hat-tricks comprise 44 for Real Madrid, 10 for Portugal and three apiece for Manchester United and Juventus. The latest three goals leave him 15 short of reaching 1,000, adding another milestone to pursue during his spell in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Pro League reported that Al-Nassr now have 28 points from 11 matches, one fewer than leaders Al-Qadsiah, who beat Al-Riyadh 6-0. BBC Sport reported that Al-Nassr also have a game in hand on the leaders. The victory therefore kept the reigning champions second while moving Ronaldo closer to his individual scoring target.