Ronaldo conjures old magic as Al Nassr decimate Abha 8-0

Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a first-half hattrick and gave two assists to lead Al Nassr's 8-0 pounding of lowly Abha in a Saudi Pro League encounter at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium on Tuesday.

Ronaldo began the rout with a freekick in the 11th minute, blasting it under the wall, before doubling the margin 10 minutes later with another conversion from set-piece -- this time the ball found its way through the gap in the wall, leaving former AC Milan goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu rooted to his spot.

The Portuguese superstar went on assist former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane in the 33rd minute before dinking the goalie, caught out position, from a fair distance to complete his career's 65th hattrick three minutes before the interval -- rolling back the clock to his time in Real Madrid and Manchester United colours.   

Ronaldo was eventually substituted during the break but not before he provided another assist, this time to Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem at the stroke of halftime, as Al Nassr resumed second half with a resounding 5-0 score-line.

Al Nassr's Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem (2L) celebrates scoring their fifth goal with Cristiano Ronaldo and teammates. Photo: Reuters

With back-to-back hattricks in the span of three days, having starred in a 5-1 thumping of Al-Tai in a league fixture on Sunday, the 39-year-old Portuguese megastar has taken his hattrick tally to 65.

Al Nassr went on to pile further misery on Abha, striking three more in the second half, but they remain second in the table and 12 points behind runaway leaders Al Hilal.