Cristiano Ronaldo leads al-Nassr to victory over al-Taawoun

ABHA: Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role in 2-0 win of al-Nassr over al-Taawoun in the Saudi Arabian Super Cup semi-final at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium on Wednesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role in Al-Nassr’s win, sending them to the Saudi Arabian Super Cup final. He assisted fellow teammate Yahya in scoring the first goal within the first ten minutes, thanks to a precise pass from Sadio Mane.

Read more: Pakistan vs. Bangladesh Test match in Karachi to be played without spectators

Almost an hour into the game, Ronaldo scored a goal from a cross by Sultan al-Ghannam. He nearly added another goal, but his shot hit the post.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been trying hard to get back into shape following a disappointing performance at the Euro 2024 tournament.

al-Nassr’s defense also made a big impact. Goalkeeper Bento made several crucial saves in the first half to prevent al-Taawoun from scoring.

Read more: Arshad Nadeem says turned down int’l offers after Tokyo Olympics

Ronaldo set up Mane for a shot that al-Taawoun’s goalkeeper, Mailson Santos, saved.

al-Nassr controlled the game throughout, thanks in most part to Ronaldo. The team will now face off against al-Hilal in the final.

The Saudi Arabian Super Cup is a football competition that features top teams from Saudi Arabia. While it started in 1979, however, the first official Super Cup took place in 2013. This was possible after the Saudi Arabian Football Federation formalised the tournament.

The inaugural match saw al-Fateh defeat al-Ittihad 3–2 after extra time.

Initially, the Super Cup was held between the winners of the Saudi Premier League and the King Cup. Over time, the format evolved, with some editions played outside Saudi Arabia. For instance, between 2015 and 2018, the tournament took place in London.

During this period, al-Hilal won in 2015 and 2018, while al-Ahli claimed the title in 2016. The 2017 edition was canceled due to scheduling issues related to the Saudi national team’s World Cup preparations.

In 2020, the Super Cup received its first sponsorship deal from Saudi water company Berain, becoming known as the Berain Saudi Super Cup. al-Nassr won the title that year, and they repeated their success in 2021, becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles.

Starting in 2022, the tournament expanded to include four teams: the top two teams from the Saudi Professional League and the King Cup winners and runners-up.

The 2023 Super Cup was held in Abu Dhabi, with al-Hilal emerging victorious.