Benzema strikes – Ronaldo out – Al Nassr knocked out of the King’s Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo could not find the net while Karim Benzema stepped up with a crucial goal as Al Ittihad knocked Al Nassr out of the King’s Cup with a 2-1 win. It was another painful night in Ronaldo’s hunt for his first major official trophy in Saudi Arabia. In a dramatic round-of-16 match on October 28, Al-Ittihad overcame a early second-half red card to secure their place in the quarter-finals, compounding Al-Nassr's season of disappointments. We will focus on the late drama, the turning points, and how the former Real Madrid teammates found themselves on opposite sides of another high pressure showdown. The King’s Cup is one of the most historic knockout tournaments in Saudi Arabian football, second only in age to the former Crown Prince Cup. Al Nassr have not lifted the King’s Cup since 1990, even after bringing in several global superstars in recent years, which only adds to the disappointment surrounding this latest exit.

Match talking points

Al-Nassr entered the clash as favourites, especially with a numerical advantage for most of the second half, but failed to capitalize.

• Al-Ittihad draws first blood: Against the run of play, Al-Ittihad striker Karim Benzema opened the scoring in the 15th minute, converting a low cross from Moussa Diaby to remind his former teammate of his lethal finishing.

• Al-Nassr responds: Ronaldo provided the assist for Al-Nassr's equaliser, with Angelo finding the net to level the score. However, Al-Ittihad regained the lead just before halftime through a Houssem Aouar goal.

• Second-half chaos: The momentum appeared to swing in Al-Nassr's favour early in the second half when Al-Ittihad defender Ahmed Al Julaydan was sent off for a reckless challenge.

• Ronaldo's missed opportunity: Despite playing with ten men, Al-Ittihad's defense held firm. Al Nassr's attack including Cristiano couldn't find the all important equaliser

Ronaldo's trophy curse continues

This latest defeat marks another episode in Ronaldo's difficult search for official silverware in the kingdom. While he lifted the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023, that tournament is not officially recognized by FIFA. Since his move in January 2023, Al-Nassr has fallen short in numerous competitions:

• Three official finals lost.

• Exits from multiple King's Cup and Super Cup competitions.

• No league titles

The team however are currently top of the Saudi Pro League with a perfect winning record, and Cristiano will be hoping that the league title can finally end his trophy drought this season.