Al-Nassr wins a nail-biting match against Al-Ittihad in the Hong Kong tournament, leaving Mane fuming with frustration
Al-Nassr Advance to Saudi Super Cup Final Despite Red Card and Disallowed Goal
In a thrilling semi-final match of the Saudi Super Cup, Al-Nassr secured a 2-1 victory over Al-Ittihad, despite playing most of the game with 10 men due to a red card shown to Sadio Mane.
The Senegalese forward opened the scoring for Al-Nassr in the 10th minute, but his night was cut short when he received a straight red card in the 25th minute for a reckless challenge on Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Hamed Al-Shanqity. This red card continued a pattern of Al-Nassr players being sent off in recent Saudi Super Cup editions, following Cristiano Ronaldo's red card in 2023 and Marcelo Brozovic's in 2024.
Despite the setback, Al-Nassr managed to hold on and win the match thanks to goals from Mane (before his sending off) and Joao Felix. The Portuguese striker's goal in the later stages of the game was disallowed due to a foul by Cristiano Ronaldo on Fabinho, but the team's resilience and tactical discipline shone through.
Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus praised his team's performance, stating that they played more than 70 minutes without Mane. He also expressed his belief that Al-Nassr fully deserved the win against Al-Ittihad, despite the referee cancelling a legitimate goal.
Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn equalised for Al-Ittihad in the 16th minute, but Al-Nassr regained the lead in the 61st minute when Joao Felix scored the second goal.
Al-Nassr's victory means they will advance to the final of the Saudi Super Cup, where they will face the winner of the semi-final between Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ahli, scheduled for Wednesday.
Jorge Jesus has only had 25 days with the Al-Nassr squad, but he is pleased with the team's progress given the short preparation time. He believes that the team's performance in this match is a testament to their potential and that they are capable of going all the way in the competition.
[1] Al-Arabiya Sports. (2025). Al-Nassr advance to the final of the Saudi Super Cup. [online] Available at: https://english.alarabiya.net/sports/2025/01/01/al-nassr-advance-to-the-final-of-the-saudi-super-cup [Accessed 1 January 2025].
[2] Goal.com. (2025). Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad 2-1 to reach Saudi Super Cup final. [online] Available at: https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/al-nassr-beat-al-ittihad-2-1-to-reach-saudi-super-cup-final/blt07148e66537c16f4 [Accessed 1 January 2025].
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