The first semifinal of the 2025 Saudi Super Cup started on Tuesday in Hong Kong. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al Nassr beat Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad 2-1. Al Nassr moved on to the final and kept their title dreams alive with the win.
The Saudi Super Cup was held in Hong Kong this year, and both clubs fielded their best players for the semifinal match. Ronaldo, João Félix, Kingsley Coman, Marcelo Brozović, Sadio Mané, Mohamed Simakan, and Iñigo Martínez were all in Al Nassr’s starting XI.
On the other hand, Al Ittihad also went all out, with Benzema, Steven Bergwijn, Fabinho, Dani Ceballos, N’Golo Kanté, Moussa Diaby, and Igor Coronado all starting.
Mané Strikes First, Al Ittihad Quickly Responds
Just 11 minutes into the game, Brozović made a perfect cutback from the left, and Mané scored to give Al Nassr a 1-0 lead.
But Al Ittihad acted immediately, only five minutes later. Bergwijn scored from close range after going down in the box, making the score 1-1.
Red Card Changes the Game
Al Nassr lost a lot of ground in the 25th minute when Mané was shown a straight red card for stepping on an opponent during a challenge. Al Nassr had a good chance to score from a free kick before halftime, but Ronaldo’s shot went just over the crossbar.
Ronaldo Assists Félix to Restore the Lead
In the second half, Al Nassr, who were down to ten men, played more defensively and tried to score on the counterattack.
In the 60th minute, Ronaldo made a solo run into the area and selflessly passed the ball to Félix, who calmly converted to make it 2-1. Félix scored his first goal for Al Nassr.
Even though Félix scored again a few minutes later, VAR stepped in and said the goal didn’t count because Ronaldo had fouled in the build-up.
Revenge Secured, Al Nassr March into the Final
Al Nassr won 2-1 over Al Ittihad, getting back at their rivals after beating them twice last season, once in the league and once in the King’s Cup. Al Nassr moved on to the Super Cup final with this win. They will play the winner of the game between Al Qadsiah and Al Ahli.
Jesus Praises Ronaldo as Superstar Effect Shines
After the game, Al Nassr head coach Jorge Jesus lauded Ronaldo, saying, “With Cristiano on the team, I have no doubt he can lead us to the title. He is still tremendously powerful and fast at 40, and he is a legend.”
He went on to say, “Most of the people in the stadium came for Ronaldo. He is a star all over the world.”
Al Nassr showed strength in tough times, and Ronaldo and Félix worked well together to make the game exciting. Fans are now excited to see if Al Nassr can win the Saudi Super Cup after reaching the final.
