Al Nassr has secured its place in the Saudi Super Cup final, defeating Al Ittihad 2-1 in Hong Kong to kick off the new season.
Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Al Nassr in the 10th minute at Hong Kong Stadium, converting a pass from Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic. However, Mane, 33, received a red card in the 25th minute. Al Ittihad had equalized in the 16th minute through Steven Bergwijn. Despite both teams being reduced to 10 players as early as the 25th minute, Al Nassr continued to press.
In the 61st minute, midfielder Joao Felix scored his first goal for his new club, securing the winning goal for Al Nassr. This victory also offers Cristiano Ronaldo an opportunity to seek his first official title with Al Nassr since joining in 2023.
Mane is the third Al Nassr player to receive a red card in the Saudi Super Cup, following Captain Ronaldo in 2023 and Brozovic in 2024.
Al Nassr now awaits the winner of the other semi-final match between Al Qadsiah and Al Ahli, scheduled for August 20 at 7 PM in Hong Kong.
Al Nassr manager Jorge Jesus praised his team’s resilience and tactical discipline, especially after being reduced to 10 men. “We deserved this victory,” said the 71-year-old manager, adding, “We played more than 70 minutes without Mane, who is a key player in both attack and defense. Despite that, our system performed well.”
A 40-year-old Portuguese chairman also posted a celebratory message on social media, exclaiming ‘Let’s Go’ after the team’s victory over Al Ittihad, which features former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema, to reach the Saudi Super Cup final.
