Cristiano Ronaldo’s ambition to start the season with a trophy was shattered on Saturday as Al Nassr lost 4-1 against Al Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup final. Due to having a bright start to the match, CR7 became responsible for the opener, but subsequently, things went drastically in favor of Al Hilal.
Ronaldo’s Strong Start
Ronaldo scored one for Al Nassr in the 44th minute, giving his team a glimmer of hope. He side-footed a neat shot from six yards after converting a well-placed cut-back from the left. It was the perfect way fans had hoped one could start a final, and they hoped this had set the tone for the rest of the match.
The second half was an entirely different story, as Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic arrived just ten minutes after the resumption of the game. Milinkovic-Savic hammered the ball into the back of the net following a quick one-two with Aleksandar Mitrovic. That handed the game back to Al Hilal completely.
Mitrovic Takes Charge
Al Nassr’s woes were further compounded within ten minutes of the second half played by Mitrovic, who once again headed keeper Al Owais from Neves’s perfect cross, to make it 2-1 for Al Hilal. At this moment, Al Hilal’s already outstanding attack became potent, and Al Nassr’s defenses started caving in.
The Serbian striker Mitrovic scored again in the 69th minute while Malcom managed another three minutes later. Scoring a fourth, the Brazilian forward took advantage of a mistake from Al Nassr’s goalkeeper, Bento. The latter made a mistake when receiving a pass from Aymeric Laporte, which made it easy for him to deliver the ball into the net.
Al Hilal’s Triumph
This convincing victory sealed a second successive Saudi Super Cup title for Al Hilal, their fifth in total, and rubbed in their dominance of this competition, now having three more titles than arch-rivals Al Nassr. There seemed to be no hiding Ronaldo’s frustration. His disappointment was evident: he gestured with his arms in the air frustratingly and made gestures that showed he was not at all pleased with his team’s performance.
The new Saudi Pro League season will get underway on Thursday, with Al Nassr playing host to Al Raed. Certainly, they will be looking to shake off this defeat for their good and go all out to show their worth in the league. Ronaldo and his lot will have to regroup and focus on bouncing back from this setback.
Ronaldo’s Redemption
Even in the Saudi Super Cup, defeat, Ronaldo has shown that he can still get the job done on the pitch. He netted 44 goals in 45 matches last time out and will be gunning for another productive year. His desire to guide Al Nassr to Saudi Pro League title glory remains fierce.
In a nutshell, Al Nassr’s humiliating loss to Al Hilal in the final of the Saudi Super Cup truly dented the ambitions of Cristiano Ronaldo. His goal early in the game is what brought hope, but Al Hilal finished the second half in style. Considering the new season is around the corner, Al Nassr will have to consider the defeat and come back victoriously. Strong leadership and strength in performance by Ronaldo will be especially important as they look to their return to the Saudi Pro League.
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