Cristiano Ronaldo was left emotional as Al Nassr suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Al Hilal in the Kings Cup final, which was decided by a dramatic penalty shootout.
Cristiano Ronaldo was left in tears as Al Nassr lost to Al Hilal in the Kings Cup final, decided by a dramatic penalty shootout.
Al Hilal successfully defended their Kings Cup title after a thrilling encounter that saw both teams reduced to ten men. The match was filled with action, with three red cards and two goals before the game was settled in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Ronaldo, who converted his penalty confidently, was unable to prevent Al Nassr's defeat as Al Hilal emerged victorious in the shootout. Young striker Meshari Al Nemer missed the decisive spot-kick, striking the ball onto the bar after Bono's crucial save.
The final saw Sadio Mane miss an early opportunity for Al Nassr, while Al Hilal took the lead through Aleksandar Mitrovic's header from a Malcom cross. Al Nassr equalized late in the game through Yahya's strike, sending the match to extra time.
In the tense added period, both teams were reduced to ten men, with Al Nassr's David Ospina and Al Hilal's Kalidou Koulibaly seeing red cards for separate incidents. Despite late efforts and a flurry of chances, including Ronaldo's acrobatic attempt hitting the post, the match ended in a stalemate, leading to the shootout.
Ultimately, Al Hilal clinched the trophy with a 5-4 win in the penalty shootout, with Al Nemer's miss sealing the victory for the defending champions.