Cristiano Ronaldo marked a historic milestone with his 100th goal for Al-Nassr but was left devastated as his side lost the Saudi Super Cup final to Al-Ahli on Saturday. The match, held at Hong Kong Stadium, ended 2-2 after 90 minutes before Al-Ahli clinched the trophy with a 5-3 victory in a dramatic penalty shootout.
The 40-year-old Portuguese forward became the first player in football history to score 100 goals for four different clubs. However, the record-setting achievement was overshadowed by a heartbreaking defeat that was visibly etched on Ronaldo’s face at the final whistle.
Ronaldo opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 41st minute after a handball by Al-Ahli’s Ali Majrashi. But the lead was short-lived as Franck Kessié equalised for Al-Ahli just before halftime.
The second half was a back-and-forth affair. Marcelo Brozović restored Al-Nassr’s lead in the 82nd minute, capitalising on a defensive error. However, Al-Ahli refused to be beaten and found an equalizer in the 89th minute when Roger Ibañez headed home a corner kick, sending the match to penalties.
In the shootout, Al-Ahli converted all five of their attempts. While Ronaldo calmly dispatched his own spot-kick, a miss by his teammate Abdullah Al-Khaibari proved to be the decisive moment, handing Al-Ahli their second Saudi Super Cup title.
The final, which was held outside the Middle East for the first time, attracted a capacity crowd eager to see Ronaldo in action. Despite the historic personal achievement, the loss for Ronaldo continues his quest for a major trophy with Al-Nassr since joining the club in 2023.
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