Al-Nassr clinched a thrilling 2-1 victory over Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup semifinal on Tuesday at the Hong Kong stadium despite being reduced to 10 men, booking their place in the final.
Senegalese winger Sadio Mane opened the scoring for the Riyadh giants early in the game. However, Al-Ittihad’s Dutch forward Steven Bergwijn leveled the score just six minutes later, only for Portuguese summer signing Joao Felix then sealed the victory for Al-Nassr in the 61st minute.
Al-Nassr’s Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo had an early chance inside the opening minutes. He fired wide following a precise assist by Mane, with Kingsley Coman also striking over from a promising position.
At the other end, Karim Benzema and Houssem Aouar came close for Al-Ittihad. However, Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento dealt with the danger effectively.
The breakthrough arrived in the 10th minute after Marcelo Brozovic picked out Sadio Mane with a clever pass, with the Senegalese forward keeping his composure to finish low into the bottom corner.
Their joy, however, was short-lived as Al-Ittihad hit back through Steven Bergwijn in the 16th minute. A slick move down the flank saw Moussa Diaby supply an assist, as the Dutch star fired into the corner to level the score.
Red Card Drama Shifts Momentum
The match took a dramatic turn in the 25th minute when Mane received a straight red card after a VAR review. Initially he received a yellow card for a reckless foul on Hamed Al-Shanqiti, the referee upgraded the decision, leaving Al-Nassr to fight with ten players for the remainder of the match.
Despite the setback, Cristiano Ronaldo remained a constant threat, attempting a long-range free kick that sailed over the bar and tested Al-Ittihad’s goalkeeper, Hamed Al-Shanqiti, with a sharp effort just before halftime. Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema nearly put his team ahead, but Al-Nassr’s goalkeeper, Bento, made a superb stop. Consequently, both teams entered the break locked at 1-1 despite the numerical disadvantage.
Al-Nassr’s Determination Shines Through
The second half began with Al-Nassr determined to maintain their lead. Mohamed Simakan headed wide from a Brozovic corner, while Joao Felix struck the post from a tight angle after a set-piece. Ronaldo, dropping deep to orchestrate play, delivered a perfectly weighted ball to Joao Felix. A minute after the hour mark, Felix made no mistake, guiding a precise finish into the bottom corner, putting Al-Nassr ahead 2-1.
Shortly after Felix’s goal, Ronaldo appeared to have scored again, but VAR intervened, disallowing the goal due to a foul in the build-up. The closing stages of the match were chaotic, with substitutions and yellow cards disrupting the flow. Al-Ittihad pushed forward desperately in search of an equalizer. Saleh Al-Shehri came closest, forcing Bento into a fine save with a late header, but he later headed wide.
As the final whistle blew, relief and celebration erupted among the Al-Nassr players, following their bravery battle with ten men for over an hour, showcasing their resilience and determination.
With this victory, Al-Nassr now awaits their opponent in the final as Al-Ahli will host Al-Qadsia on Wednesday in the other semifinal, determining who will face Al-Nassr in the championship match.
