Al Ittihad, spearheaded by star striker Karim Benzema, successfully eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr from the Saudi King Cup in a thrilling Round of 16 encounter. The highly anticipated match, played on October 29, saw Al Ittihad secure a 2-1 victory, thus advancing to the quarter-finals of the prestigious competition.
The defeat comes as a significant blow to Al Nassr, who had been enjoying a strong run of form in the Saudi Pro League. Despite their domestic success, they were unable to overcome their rivals in the cup clash. The opening goal came early, with French international Karim Benzema finding the back of the net in the 15th minute, giving Al Ittihad an crucial early lead and boosting his team’s confidence against a formidable Al Nassr side.
Al Nassr managed to equalize in the 30th minute through Brazilian player Angelo, setting the stage for a tense battle. However, Al Ittihad regained their advantage just before halftime, with Houssem Aouar securing the winning goal in the 45+2 minute. Benzema expressed considerable excitement over his goal and the team’s victory, particularly given the high-profile nature of the opposition and the opportunity to face former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
For Ronaldo, the night ended in deep disappointment. The 40-year-old Portuguese captain was visibly frustrated and notably failed to score in the match. Statistics from the game highlight Al Nassr’s struggles, as they registered 22 shots, with 5 on target, but could not convert their opportunities into goals. This was particularly frustrating given that Al Ittihad played with only ten men for a portion of the game, a detail that further underscores Al Nassr’s inability to capitalize on their numerical advantage. The missed opportunity also meant Ronaldo was unable to reach his 951st career goal in this fixture.
In the immediate aftermath of the match, Ronaldo openly conveyed his disappointment. However, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner later took to social media to rally his teammates, urging them to refocus and strive for success in upcoming fixtures.
This victory held added significance for Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d’Or recipient, as it served as a form of revenge. Al Ittihad had previously suffered a 2-0 defeat to Al Nassr in a Saudi Pro League fixture on September 29.
In other Round of 16 matches within the Saudi King Cup, Al Qadisiya defeated Al Hazem 3-1 to also secure their spot in the quarter-finals. Similarly, Al Hilal narrowly booked their place, overcoming Al Okhdood with a hard-fought 1-0 victory.
