Saudi Super Cup: Félix Scores on Debut from Ronaldo Assist in Al-Nassr’s 2–1 Win Over Al-Ittihad

Al-Nassr secured a place in the Saudi Super Cup final with a 2–1 victory over Al-Ittihad at Hong Kong Stadium on Tuesday. The spotlight fell on João Félix, who marked his debut with the winning goal, created by a moment of brilliance from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Despite being reduced to ten men in the first half following Sadio Mané’s red card, Al-Nassr displayed tactical discipline and resilience to overcome their Jeddah rivals. (Reuters)

First-half drama: Mané scores, then sent off

The semi-final in Hong Kong opened with chaos from the very start. Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento almost gifted Al-Ittihad an opener when his stray pass rolled straight to Karim Benzema, but the French striker could only drag his effort wide.

Al-Nassr responded quickly, taking the lead in the 10th minute as Marcelo Brozović delivered a precise cross for Sadio Mané, who finished clinically past Hamed Al-Shanqiti. Six minutes later, Al-Ittihad struck back when Moussa Diaby cut the ball back for Steven Bergwijn to fire in the equaliser. (Reuters, Hindustan Times)

However, the Senegalese forward quickly turned from hero to villain. In the 25th minute, a reckless challenge on the Al-Ittihad keeper saw VAR intervene, and Mané was shown a straight red card, leaving Al-Nassr down to ten men.

João Félix nets debut winner from Ronaldo’s assist

The decisive moment came in the 61st minute. Cristiano Ronaldo surged forward but opted against shooting, instead sliding a precise pass into the path of João Félix, who calmly slotted past the goalkeeper.

The debut strike was initially flagged offside, but after a VAR review, the goal was awarded. Félix later had another effort ruled out following a foul by Ronaldo in the build-up, but his opener proved enough to seal the win. (Reuters, TalkSport)

Match highlights

Star performer: Cristiano Ronaldo

While João Félix grabbed the headlines with his debut goal, the standout performer was Cristiano Ronaldo. His vision and composure created the winning moment, while his leadership and tactical flexibility helped Al-Nassr navigate a difficult match with ten men.

Turning point: Mané’s red card

Mané’s dismissal proved to be the game’s defining setback. Having opened the scoring, his early exit swung the balance in Al-Ittihad’s favour and threatened to derail The Riyadh club’s hopes. Instead, it forced the Riyadh side to tighten their structure and show resilience — a shift in mentality that ultimately shaped the rest of the match.

Tactical grit and debut impact

Al-Nassr’s response to adversity was built on tactical grit. Marcelo Brozović anchored midfield, recycling possession and shielding the back line. Ronaldo dropped deeper to link play, while Félix offered the spark of a marquee signing delivering instantly on debut.

What’s next for Al-Nassr

Al-Nassr will face the winner of Al-Qadsiah vs Al-Ahli in Saturday’s final. A victory would bring them a third Saudi Super Cup title, adding to their triumphs in 2019 and 2020.