CR7 yet to claim a title in Saudi Arabia | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo’s search for silverware in Saudi Arabia continues, with Al-Nassr falling short in the Super Cup against Al-Ahli Jeddah. After a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes in sweltering Hong Kong heat, the match went to penalties, where Galeno’s decisive strike sealed the trophy for Al-Ahli.

The game struggled for rhythm from the off. The pitch was poor, temperatures hovered above 30 degrees, and the high-profile names on show, all found it difficult to play their best football.

Al-Nassr dominated possession, controlling 62% of the ball under Jorge Jesus, and took the lead on 41 minutes. Ronaldo converted a penalty to mark his 100th goal for the club, a milestone moment in an otherwise uneven first half. But just before the break, Franck Kessié levelled for Al-Ahli in stoppage time, capitalising on an assist from Enzo Millot.

The second half saw little change in pace, with Al-Ahli showing glimpses of improvement. Al-Nassr regained the lead on 82 minutes thanks to Marcelo Brozovic, who pounced after a defensive error in the box. Yet their advantage was short-lived - Roger Ibañez nodded in a corner at the 89th minute following a mistake from Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento, sending the match to penalties.

In the shootout, Abdul Al-Khaibari was the only player to miss for Al-Nassr, and it was Galeno who calmly slotted home the winning penalty to hand Al-Ahli the Super Cup.

While Ronaldo opened the scoring and Brozovic impressed with both his goal and his overall influence, the game highlighted Al-Nassr’s struggles to control matches under pressure. Al-Ahli, meanwhile, showed resilience to fight back twice and ultimately claim the trophy.