Benzema shines as Al Ittihad eliminates Al Nassr 2-1 in the King's Cup.

In just a few moments of transition, the match at Al-Awwal Park took a dramatic turn. Karim Benzema opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a quick counter-attack, and Houssem Aouar sealed a 2-1 victory in the 45+2 minute. Despite playing with a man advantage from the 49th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr were powerless against Al Ittihad's disciplined defense and were eliminated from the 2025 Saudi Arabian King's Cup in the round of 16.

Match sequence: the goal came from speed and space.

Al Ittihad opted for a direct attack into the space behind the home team's defense. In the 15th minute, Benzema received the ball in a quick counter-attack and fired a left-footed shot diagonally into the net, opening the scoring 1-0. The goal forced Al Nassr to increase the tempo on both flanks.

In the 30th minute, Ronaldo crossed from the left wing, and an Al Ittihad defender misjudged the clearance, allowing Angelo Gabriel to pounce and fire a shot into the top corner of the net, leveling the score at 1-1 for Al Nassr. But before halftime, Aouar seized the perfect moment to penetrate and curl a shot into the far corner in the 45+2 minute, restoring Al Ittihad's lead.

The second half saw a shift in momentum when Ahmed Al-Julaydan received a direct red card in the 49th minute after a brutal foul on Yahya. Al Nassr pressed forward, but their relentless attacks lacked the sharpness to penetrate the visitors' tight defense, and the 1-2 score remained until the end of the match.

Tactical analysis: Al Ittihad wins the battle of transition.

Both of Al Ittihad's goals conveyed the same message: speed and decisiveness in transitions. The opening goal came from a neat counter-attack, culminating in a left-footed shot from Benzema. The goal in the 45+2 minute demonstrated the level of organization as Aouar positioned himself well to finish into the far corner.

Conversely, Al Nassr's clearest chance came from exploiting the left flank with Ronaldo. The play leading to the 1-1 equalizer is a prime example: a cross that put pressure on the Al Ittihad defense forced a mistake, opening up a shot for Angelo Gabriel. However, playing with a man advantage, the home team lacked a decisive moment to break down the low and disciplined defensive block of their opponents.

Selective 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 table

Score a goal

Penalty card

Starting lineup

Impact

Al Ittihad advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2025 King's Cup Saudi Arabia. Al Nassr were eliminated in the round of 16, ending their domestic cup campaign with a match where they had a numerical advantage but failed to convert it into goals.