Al-Nassr triumphed over Al-Ittihad 2-1 in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final despite Sadio Mane’s red card. Joao Felix scored the decisive goal after a clever assist from Cristiano Ronaldo. Mane had earlier given Al-Nassr the lead, but Al-Ittihad equalized through Steven Bergwijn. Al-Nassr’s resilience and tactical discipline secured their place in the final, where they will aim to atone for last year’s defeat.
Al-Nassr secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al-Ittihad in a captivating Saudi Super Cup semi-final, overcoming the setback of Sadio Mane's red card thanks to a decisive goal from Joao Felix. The match, held in Hong Kong, was a rollercoaster of emotions, showcasing both attacking flair and resilient defending.
The game began brightly for Al-Nassr as Sadio Mane opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Marcelo Brozovic delivered a pinpoint cross, and Mane connected with a powerful volley that found the back of the net. However, Al-Ittihad's goalkeeper, Hamed Al Shanqiti, might feel he could have done better to keep the shot out. Al-Nassr's early lead demonstrated their intent and attacking prowess.
Al-Ittihad responded strongly, and Steven Bergwijn leveled the score. Moussa Diaby provided a clever cutback, and Bergwijn calmly slotted the ball home, restoring parity to the match. The game continued at a frenetic pace, with both teams creating opportunities. However, the momentum shifted when Sadio Mane received a red card in the 25th minute for an apparent stamp on Al Shanqiti. This left Al-Nassr with a numerical disadvantage for a significant portion of the game, testing their resilience and tactical flexibility.
Despite being a man down, Al-Nassr remained organized and determined. Cristiano Ronaldo played a pivotal role in the 61st minute, displaying his vision and playmaking ability. He surged behind the Al-Ittihad defense and unselfishly laid the ball off to Joao Felix, who had a simple finish. Initially, the goal was ruled out for offside, but a VAR review overturned the decision, allowing Joao Felix to celebrate his first goal for Al-Nassr since his arrival from Chelsea. The goal highlighted the importance of VAR in ensuring fair decisions in crucial moments.
Al-Nassr demonstrated impressive defensive solidity and tactical discipline, thwarting Al-Ittihad's attempts to break through. Joao Felix continued to be a threat, and he had another effort disallowed by VAR shortly after his goal. He also struck the post, coming close to extending Al-Nassr's lead. In stoppage time, Saleh Al Shehri's header was saved by Al-Ittihad's goalkeeper, Bento, denying Al-Ittihad a late equalizer. The save preserved Al-Nassr's lead and secured their place in the Super Cup final.
The official Al-Nassr FC account celebrated Joao Felix's goal with a post on X:
Féliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiix
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 19, 2025
Data Debrief: Joao Felix’s flying start
Last year Al-Nassr were defeated 4-1 by Al-Hillal in the Super Cup final, but will be confident of atoning for that when they take on either Al-Qasidah or Al-Ahli on Saturday.
Al-Nassr had more shots (15 to 10) and accumulated a higher expected goals (xG) tally than Al-Ittihad (2.32 to 1.44) despite playing over an hour with 10 men.
On his competitive debut Joao Felix accounted for 1.22 of that xG, having three shots, only Ronaldo (six) had more shots. Fellow new boy Kingsley Coman, meanwhile, created four chances, leading Al-Nassr along with Brozovic.