By Sachit Subba • Football • Aug 19, 2025 15:53 PM • 117 views
Hong Kong — Al Nassr displayed grit and determination on Tuesday night, edging rivals Al Ittihad 2–1 in a dramatic Saudi Super Cup semifinal at the Hong Kong Stadium. Goals from Sadio Mané and João Félix were enough to carry the Riyadh side into the final despite being reduced to 10 men before halftime.
The clash began at a frenetic pace. Mané opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a composed finish, but Al Ittihad hit back swiftly, as Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn struck six minutes later to level the contest.
The game's intensity reached another level in the 25th minute when Mané, scorer of the opener, was sent off after a reckless challenge — a decision that forced Al Nassr to dig deep for the remainder of the match.
Down a man but not in spirit, Al Nassr reorganized and struck again just after the hour mark. Portuguese forward João Félix provided the decisive moment in the 61st minute, finding the net with precision to restore his team's lead.
Al Ittihad, with a numerical advantage for more than an hour, pressed hard but failed to break down Al Nassr's disciplined defence. Cristiano Ronaldo, leading the line for Al Nassr, played a key role in holding up play and inspiring his teammates in the closing stages.
The victory sends Al Nassr into the Saudi Super Cup final, where they will meet the winner of the semifinal clash between Al-Qadisiyah and Al-Ahli Saudi. For Al Ittihad, it was a bitter defeat — a missed opportunity to capitalize against a side reduced to 10 men.
