First Win of the Tour, No Ronaldo Required
Al-Nassr finally got a result on the board in Portugal. After opening their pre-season camp with a 2-1 defeat to Benfica B — a game missing a good chunk of the first team — they bounced back with a comfortable 2-0 win over Spanish third-tier side Mérida at Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras. Ange Postecoglou’s still searching for his first proper look at a full-strength squad, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané and João Félix all still away from the group following their World Cup commitments, but this was a tidy response regardless.
Mohamed Maran opened the scoring in the 11th minute, giving Al-Nassr the ideal start and settling any nerves early. From there, the Saudi side controlled long stretches of the game, working the ball around against a Mérida side several tiers below them in quality, even if the Spanish visitors made things awkward at points with quick breaks forward.
Camara Doubles the Lead, Mérida’s Keepers Keep It Respectable
Haroune Camara added the second not long after, and from that point on Al-Nassr were largely comfortable, seeing out the rest of the game without too much alarm. Mérida had their moments on the counter in the second half, pushing forward and trying to find a way back into it, but Al-Nassr’s defense held firm. To their credit, Mérida’s goalkeepers had a strong afternoon of their own — a couple of good stops, including one from a long-range effort and another that forced a mid-game substitution after the original keeper picked up a knock — kept the scoreline from getting further out of hand for the Spanish side.
What It Means Next
It’s a solid response for Postecoglou in his early days in charge, even with several key attacking names still missing from the squad. Al-Nassr will hope to build on this as the pre-season tour continues, with the new boss gradually piecing together how his side will look once everyone’s back and available for the new campaign.
Match Summary
Al-Nassr 2-0 Mérida Club Friendly — Cidade do Futebol, Oeiras, Portugal Tuesday, 28 July 2026
Goals: 11′ Mohamed Maran (Al-Nassr) 1-0 Second half: Haroune Camara (Al-Nassr) 2-0
Result: Al-Nassr picked up their first win of pre-season, bouncing back from an opening defeat to Benfica B.
For live pre-season friendly scores and coverage, visit fawanews. Full results and fixtures at the official Al-Nassr FC website.
