Benzema shines, Al Ittihad eliminates Al Nassr 2-1 King's Cup
Al Ittihad won 2-1: Benzema opened the score, Aouar in the 45+2 minute; Al Nassr had an extra player from the 49th minute but could not equalize and stopped at the 1/8 round of King's Cup Saudi Arabia 2025.
In just a few moments, the match at Al-Awwal Park turned around. Karim Benzema opened the scoring in the 15th minute from a quick counter-attack, Houssem Aouar sealed the 2-1 advantage in the 45+2 minute. Despite playing with an extra man from the 49th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr were still powerless against Al Ittihad's disciplined defense and left the King's Cup Saudi Arabia 2025 in the round of 16.
Development: goals come from speed and space
Al Ittihad chose to attack directly into the space behind the home team's defense. In the 15th minute, Benzema received the ball in a quick counter-attack and shot diagonally with his left foot, opening the score at 1-0. The loss forced Al Nassr to increase the speed on both flanks.
In the 30th minute, Ronaldo crossed from the left wing, but the Al Ittihad defender cleared the ball wrongly, allowing Angelo Gabriel to rush in and finish into the top of the net, equalizing 1-1 for Al Nassr. But before the break, Aouar chose the right moment to penetrate and put the ball into the far corner in the 45+2 minute, helping Al Ittihad regain the lead.
The second half changed when Ahmed Al-Julaydan received a straight red card in the 49th minute for a rough foul on Yahya. Al Nassr poured forward to press, but their continuous attacks were not sharp enough to penetrate the visitors' tight defense, and the score remained 1-2 until the end of the match.
Tactical Corner: Al Ittihad Wins the Battle of Transitions
Both goals from Al Ittihad conveyed the same message: speed and decisiveness in transition. The opener came from a neat counter-attack, finished by Benzema’s left-footed shot. The goal in the 45+2 minute showed the level of organization when Aouar chose a good landing spot to finish into the far corner.
On the other hand, Al Nassr’s clearest chance came from exploiting the left flank with Ronaldo. The move that led to the 1-1 equalizer was an example: the cross put pressure on the Al Ittihad defense, forcing a mistake, opening up a shot for Angelo Gabriel. However, with an extra man, the home team lacked a decisive moment to break through the opponent’s low and disciplined defense.
Selected statistics
- Score: Al Nassr 1-2 Al Ittihad
- Goals: Angelo 30' - Benzema 15', Aouar 45+2'
- Red card: Ahmed Al-Julaydan (Al Ittihad) 49'
- Location: Al-Awwal Park
Match information board
Score
| Team | Player | Minute |
|---|---|---|
| Al Ittihad | Karim Benzema | 15' |
| Al Nassr | Angelo Gabriel | 30' |
| Al Ittihad | Houssem Aouar | 45+2' |
Penalty card
| Team | Player | Event | Minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Ittihad | Ahmed Al-Julaydan | Red card | 49' |
Starting lineup
| Al Nassr | Al Ittihad |
|---|---|
| Bento; Ayman, Martinez, Simakan, Boushal; Al Khaibari, Angelo, Mane, Coman; Felix, Ronaldo | Rajkovic; Al Julaydan, Al Mousa, Pereira, Mitaj; Kante, Aouar, Fabinho; Roger, Diaby, Benzema |
Impact
Al Ittihad qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2025 Saudi Arabia King's Cup. Al Nassr stopped in the round of 16, ending their domestic cup journey with a match in which they created a numerical advantage but failed to convert it into goals.
