Al-Nassr suffers Saudi Super Cup elimination after Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card against Al-Hilal

Ronaldo's frustration began when his offside position led to a disallowed goal for Al-Nassr. Al-Hilal took the lead, and despite Ronaldo's efforts, including a red card for elbowing, Al-Nassr lost.

Chirag

April 9, 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo Gets Red Card For His Frustration — Elie Hokayem/Saudi Pro League via Getty Images

Ronaldo’s frustrations ignited towards the end of the first half when his team had a goal disallowed due to his offside position. As the ball entered the box, Ronaldo attempted to play it before it reached Otavio, who subsequently scored. The linesman flagged for Ronaldo’s interference, and despite a VAR review, the decision stood.

Al-Hilal seized the lead just after the hour mark when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic passed to Salem Al-Dawsari, who outran Al-Nassr’s defense and scored. They came close to doubling their lead when Malcom’s powerful shot hit the post. Malcom eventually scored with less than 20 minutes remaining, capitalizing on a well-placed cross with a header.

Ronaldo made a rare forward dash to salvage a late goal, but his effort was easily thwarted by Kalidou Koulibaly. His frustration boiled over, leading to a red card for elbowing an Al-Hilal player, followed by visible dissent towards the referee.

Despite Ronaldo’s absence, Al-Nassr managed to score through Sadio Mane, but it was too late to overturn the deficit as Al-Hilal secured their place in the final.

Malcom proved to be a persistent threat to Al-Nassr in the second half, narrowly missing a goal before eventually finding the net. He continued to strive for more opportunities for his team.

The outcome might have been different had Ronaldo refrained from attempting to play the ball when it was sent towards the back post just before halftime. His offside position and failed touch resulted in Otavio’s disallowed goal. Ronaldo’s frustration led to a booking for dissent and a needless red card for the elbow incident.

With Monday’s victory, Al-Hilal advances to the final, where they will meet Al-Ittihad, who defeated Al-Wehda 2-1 in the earlier semi-final. The final is scheduled for April 11 at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.