Al-Nassr suffered a surprising home defeat on Tuesday night as Al-Ittihad secured a 2-1 victory in the King Cup of Champions round of 16, eliminating Cristiano Ronaldo’s side from the competition. The match took place at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, marking the second meeting between the two Saudi giants in the 2025–26 season.
Both teams entered the knockout clash after convincing performances in the previous round. Al-Nassr had comfortably beaten Jeddah 4-0 on September 23, with goals from Wesley, João Félix, Mohamed Simakan, and an own goal from Ali Abu Al Rahi. On the same day, Al-Ittihad progressed by defeating Al-Wehda 1-0, courtesy of a Saleh Al-Shehri penalty in the 9th minute.
Their most recent encounter before this match came in the Saudi Pro League on September 26, where Al-Nassr triumphed 2-0 away at Al-Ittihad, thanks to goals from Sadio Mané and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Tuesday’s cup tie told a very different story.
Match Summary: Benzema and Aouar Fire Al Ittihad Past Ronaldo’s Al Nassr
First Half:
Al-Ittihad struck first in the 15th minute, when Karim Benzema finished clinically with his left foot following an assist from Moussa Diaby. The hosts responded in the 30th minute, as Angelo Gabriel curled a superb shot into the top corner to level the score at 1-1. But just before halftime, Houssem Aouar restored Al-Ittihad’s advantage with a precise strike into the bottom corner, giving his side a 2-1 lead at the break.
Second Half:
Al-Ittihad faced a setback early in the second half when Ahmed Al-Julaydan received a straight red card, reducing the visitors to ten men. Despite relentless pressure from Al-Nassr — led by Cristiano Ronaldo and João Félix — goalkeeper Predrag Rajković produced several key saves to preserve his team’s narrow lead.
Al-Nassr’s efforts to equalize fell short, and the final whistle confirmed their exit from the King Cup of Champions, while Al-Ittihad advanced to the quarterfinals.
Lineups
Al-Nassr:
Bento Krepski (GK); Ayman Ahmed, Iñigo Martínez, Mohamed Simakan, Nawaf Al-Boushal; Angelo Gabriel, Abdullah Alkhaibari, João Félix; Sadio Mané, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kingsley Coman
Al-Ittihad:
Predrag Rajković (GK); Saad Al-Mousa, Danilo, Mario Mitaj, Ahmed Al-Julaydan; Fabinho, N’Golo Kanté, Houssem Aouar, Roger Fernandes; Moussa Diaby, Karim Benzema
With this result, Al-Ittihad books its place in the King Cup quarterfinals, while Al-Nassr shifts focus back to maintaining its top position in the Saudi Pro League.
