Cristiano Ronaldo on target but Portugal legend’s Saudi Super Cup woes continue as Al-Hilal dominate Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest for silverware in Saudi Arabia was once again thwarted as Al-Hilal stormed to a 4-1 victory over Al-Nassr in the Saudi Super Cup final, marking their first trophy of the 2024/25 season, Soccernet.football reports.

Despite Ronaldo opening the scoring with a clinical close-range finish, his team’s defensive frailties and goalkeeping errors proved costly, allowing Al-Hilal to seize control of the match.

The game began with promise for Al-Nassr as Ronaldo capitalized on a clever cut-back to put his side ahead.

However, the second half unraveled disastrously for the Portuguese star and his teammates.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic sparked Al-Hilal’s comeback in the 55th minute, charging into the box and rifling a shot into the top corner. This equalizer set the stage for Aleksandar Mitrovic to take over the match with two goals in quick succession, effectively sealing Al-Hilal’s triumph.

Mitrovic’s first goal came from a powerful header, followed by a composed finish inside the six-yard box, leaving Al-Nassr’s defence in tatters.

Malcom added a fourth, capitalizing on a catastrophic error from Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento, who mishandled the ball and gifted the Brazilian an easy tap-in.

Bento’s performance was emblematic of Al-Nassr’s struggles, as he failed to command his area, particularly during the decisive moments that led to Hilal’s goals.

This defeat marks the third consecutive Saudi Super Cup loss for Ronaldo, casting further doubt on his hopes of securing a trophy in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Nassr will need to regroup quickly as they return to league action against Al-Raed on August 22, while Al-Hilal face Al Akhdoud on Saturday, riding high on their recent success.