Salem Al-Dosari scored for Al-Hilal from a solo goal (61), and Brazilian Malcolm de Oliveira added the second goal from a header (72). Senegalese Sadio Mane scored for Al-Nassr (90+9).
The match witnessed the expulsion of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo (86), making it the 12th red card in his football career at the club level, and his second with Al-Nasr since joining the team.
This is considered the third victory for Al-Hilal over Al-Nasr this season, as it won the first in the Saudi League 3-0, then in the Riyadh Season Cup 2-0.
This is also the second victory for Al-Hilal over Al-Nasr in the Super Cup, as the two teams faced each other twice before in the tournament, the first in 2015 at Loftus Road Stadium in London as the first edition of the Super Cup, and Al-Hilal won 1-0, while Al-Nasr won the second in 2020.
Al-Hilal qualified to meet Al-Ittihad in the final next Thursday, seeking to win the fourth title in this competition, knowing that it has won the title more than once (3 times – in 2015, 2018 and 2021).
In the second match, French striker Karim Benzema led his team, Al-Ittihad, to the final after defeating Al-Wahda 2-1 at Al Nahyan Stadium.
For Al-Ittihad, former Spanish Real Madrid striker Benzema scored the first goal just 55 seconds after the start of the match, before Moroccan Abderrazak Hamdallah increased the score for his team before the end of the first half (42). Hassan Al-Issa reduced the score for Al-Wahda (90+7).
Benzema returned to scoring goals in an Al-Ittihad shirt after a fast that lasted 130 days, scoring the fastest Saudi Super Cup goal in its history just 55 seconds after the start of the confrontation.
The last goal Benzema scored was against Al-Khaleej in the Saudi League on November 30, 2023.
Hamdallah increased Al-Ittihad’s lead with the second goal (42), increasing his record as the Super Cup’s all-time top scorer with 6 goals, ending the first half with Al-Ittihad leading 2-0.
In the second half, Al-Ittihad had several opportunities to increase its goal tally, and in return, Al-Wehda intensified its attacks in order to reduce the score, but to no avail.
Al-Wahda player Faisal Fajr missed a penalty kick awarded by the match referee after returning to the assistant referee technique (VAR) in the second minute of stoppage time.
Al-Issa scored Al-Wahda’s only goal (90+7), so the match ended with Al-Ittihad’s 2-1 victory, clinching the qualification ticket to the final of the competition.
Four clubs, Al Hilal, Al Nasr, Al Wahda and Al Ittihad, will participate in the Super Cup in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, from April 8 to 11.
Al-Ittihad was the last to achieve the Super Cup title in the last edition, 2023, at the expense of Al-Fayhaa.
