Al-Nassr reach the Saudi Super Cup final after a dramatic semifinal, with João Félix delivering the decisive moment and Sadio Mané shown a red card in the first half.
The match swung from end to end in a first half packed with incident. Early on, Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento inexplicably rolled the ball straight to Karim Benzema on the edge of the area, only for the Frenchman to narrowly miss. The action quickly shifted to the other end, and Al-Nassr took the lead through Sadio Mané. A Marcelo Brozovic cross found the Senegalese forward in space inside the box, and his angled shot beat goalkeeper Hamed Al-Shanqiti.
That lead lasted just six minutes as Al-Ittihad hit back through Steven Bergwijn, who finished low after a well-worked move on the left flank to level the score.
Al-Nassr were dealt a blow when Mané was sent off in the 25th minute for stamping on Al-Shanqiti during a challenge, leaving Jorge Jesús’s side with ten men.
To their credit, Al-Nassr responded after the break, retaking the lead thanks to a fine link-up between Cristiano Ronaldo and João Félix. Ronaldo drew the defense offside with a pass toward goal and, showing unselfishness, laid the ball off for Félix to slot into an empty net.
Félix later believed he had extended the lead with a second goal, but the play was ruled out for a foul by Ronaldo on Fabinho.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Al-Nassr held firm to secure the win and move a step closer to their first Saudi Pro League trophy. The victory also pushes Ronaldo closer to ending his wait for a major title with Al-Nassr.
The MVP of the match was highlighted as Félix, whose impact after joining in the summer was decisive in the outcome. Mané, while opening the scoring, became the match’s villain after his early red card.
What’s next? Al-Nassr will meet the winner of the Al-Qadisiyah vs. Al-Ahli semi-final in the final of the Saudi Super Cup. That second semi is scheduled for Wednesday in Hong Kong.
Why it matters: Félix’s impact early in his tenure with Al-Nassr is continuing to grow, giving the club a potent attacking threat even after a tough start to the contest. For Ronaldo, the performance brings him another step toward lifting a first trophy with the club, reinforcing the perception that Al-Nassr can compete for silverware this season.
Summary: A dramatic semifinal saw Al-Nassr survive a red card for Mané, ride Félix’s decisive contribution, and push toward a Saudi Super Cup final appearance against the winner of the Al-Qadisiyah–Al-Ahli clash.
Additional note: The match demonstrated Al-Nassr’s resilience and tactical adaptability, staying compact after going down to ten men and leveraging a clinical counter from Ronaldo to Félix.