Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a brace against Al Hazem to send Al Nassr top of the Saudi Pro League after Al Hilal were held by Al Ittihad.
The Portuguese superstar, who missed two league games earlier this month after a public falling out with the club over a lack of signings during the January transfer window, broke the deadlock after 13 minutes against Hazem.
Kingsley Coman picked Ronaldo out in a crowded penalty area. The Nassr captain took a touch to control the ball with his right foot before clipping a left-foot effort into the far corner. Following a VAR review for potential offside, Ronaldo was awarded the goal.
Provider then turned goalscorer as Coman finished off a fine move involving Joao Felix. Ronaldo had the ball in the Hazem net a second time but that effort was ruled out for offside.
Ronaldo had another goal chalked off for offside in the second half before Angelino scored a superb solo effort that started off inside his own half on 77 minutes.
Ronaldo finally got his second of the match with 10 minutes to go, latching on to a short pass from Coman before drilling in an angled drive.
Following another VAR review for offside, the goal stood as Nassr closed out an eighth straight league win, which moved them a point above rivals Al Hilal, who were held to a 1-1 draw at home by 10-man Al Ittihad.
"Back where we belong," Ronaldo said in a social media post on Instagram. "Now back to work."
Hilal relinquished their place at the summit, despite playing over 80 minutes with a numerical advantage after Hassen Kadish's early red card for Ittihad.
The hosts opened the scoring after just five minutes when Karim Benzema – against his former side – released Salem Al Dawsari, whose cross was neatly swept home by Malcom.
Malcom was involved again four minutes later when he was on the receiving end of a professional foul from last man Kadish, who was shown a straight red card following a VAR review.
Theo Hernandez hit the side-netting, and Benzema was denied from close range, as Hilal looked to capitalise with the extra man.
However, the visitors equalised eight minutes into the second half, when Muhannad Al Shanqiti's deep cross was nodded in by Houssem Aouar.
