Al Hilal Upends Al Nassr in Saudi Super Cup Semifinal
Ronaldo Sent Off as Hilal Advances to Final
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Jan. 26, 2023)
Al Hilal booked their place in the Saudi Super Cup final after edging past city rivals Al Nassr 2-1 in a thrilling semifinal clash at the King Fahd International Stadium on Thursday.
The match marked the first meeting between the two sides since Cristiano Ronaldo's high-profile move to Al Nassr in January. The Portuguese superstar had a lively outing but was given his marching orders in the dying minutes for a reckless challenge.
Al Hilal took the lead in the 23rd minute through Luciano Vietto, who tapped home from close range after a deft assist from Salem Al-Dawsari. Al Nassr leveled the scores just before halftime when Anderson Talisca curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner.
The second half was equally entertaining, and it was Al Hilal who grabbed the winning goal in the 64th minute. Moussa Marega latched onto a through ball from Odion Ighalo and fired a low shot past Al Nassr goalkeeper David Ospina.
Ronaldo's dismissal in the 89th minute for a reckless tackle on Al Hilal's Abdullah Al-Mayouf added to Al Nassr's misery. The red card means that Ronaldo will miss the Super Cup final, scheduled for next week.
Al Hilal, who have won the Saudi Super Cup three times in the past, will now face the winner of the other semifinal between Al Ittihad and Al Shabab.
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