The match took place with a side-to-side advantage towards Al-Nassr as coach Jorge Jesus' team controlled the ball well. However, the attack with Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Joao Felix had difficulty against the opponent's tight defense.
The surprise happened in the 15th minute when Moussa Diaby made a quick counter-attack on the right wing, crossing the ball accurately for Karim Benzema to finish close to the goal to open the score for Al-Ittihad.
In the 30th minute, Al-Nassr scored an equalizer after Ronaldo crossed the ball for Al-Ittihad defender to clear the ball, creating conditions for Angelo to launch a powerful shot that hit the roof of the net. However, the home team's joy did not last long. Before the end of the first half, Aouar handled the situation skillfully in the penalty area and then set the heart into the far corner, restoring Al-Ittihad's 2-1 advantage.
In the second half, Al-Nassr had a big chance when Al-Ittihad defender Ahmed Al Julaydan was sent off in the 49th minute after a dangerous tackle. Despite playing with one more player for nearly half an hour, Ronaldo and his teammates still could not penetrate the tightly organized defensive system of the away team.
The 1-2 loss left Al-Nassr penniless in the King's Cup, while Benzema's Al-Ittihad qualified for the quarter-finals. With this result, Cristiano Ronaldo missed another title with the Saudi Arabian team.
