Al-Nassr, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, secured a crucial victory in the Saudi Super Cup semifinals. Despite being reduced to ten players from the 25th minute after Sadio Mané’s red card, the Riyadh side overcame the odds to beat Al-Ittihad of Karim Benzema 2-1 and book their spot in the tournament final in Hong Kong.

The match began with plenty of action. Mané himself opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a precise finish following a cross from Marcelo Brozovic. However, Al-Ittihad responded quickly: in the 16th minute, Dutchman Steven Bergwijn leveled the score after an assist from Frenchman Moussa Diaby.

Things looked complicated for Al-Nassr when the referee showed a straight red card to Mané for a harsh challenge on goalkeeper Yousef. Nevertheless, the squad managed by Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus stayed organized and waited for the right moment to strike.

Joao Félix the Difference-Maker

The breakthrough came in the second half. A through ball from Cristiano Ronaldo found Joao Félix, who scored into an empty net in the 61st minute, recording his first goal with Al-Nassr.

The Portuguese forward nearly extended the lead twice more: once with a goal disallowed by VAR for a foul by Cristiano Ronaldo, and later with a shot that hit the post. Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad, coached by Laurent Blanc, failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority and ended up outplayed in intensity and effectiveness.

Final Opponent Awaits

With this win, Al-Nassr, runners-up in last year’s edition, will play the final on Saturday in Hong Kong against the winner of the other semifinal between Al Ahli and Al Qadisiya, managed by Míchel González.

The team of Cristiano Ronaldo now has the chance to lift the trophy and further solidify its status as one of the top contenders in a competition that highlights the growing stature of Saudi football on the international stage.