Ronaldo's Quest for Saudi Trophy
- Cristiano Ronaldo scored, but Al-Nassr lost 4-1 to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup.
- The defeat leaves Ronaldo still pursuing his first domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia.
- Al-Hilal emerged victorious in a dominant display against Al-Nassr.
ABHA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo's pursuit of his first domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia remains unfulfilled after Al-Nassr suffered a 4-1 defeat to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup on Saturday. The match, which marked the beginning of the season, saw Ronaldo score the opening goal just before halftime, but his team was unable to maintain the lead as Al-Hilal surged in the second half. Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in December 2022 and previously set a league record with 35 goals, found the net in the 44th minute, assisted by Abdulrahman Ghareeb. However, the tide turned dramatically after halftime when Al-Hilal equalized through Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the 55th minute. Aleksandar Mitrović then scored two goals within six minutes, followed by a fourth from Brazilian winger Malcom, sealing Al-Hilal's victory. Mitrović expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, stating, “We showed how good we are in the second half.” He acknowledged the initial struggles but emphasized the importance of remaining calm and focused, which ultimately led to their success. This victory marks Al-Hilal's second consecutive Super Cup triumph. Looking ahead, Al-Hilal is set to defend its title against Al-Okhdood next Saturday, while Al-Nassr will face Al-Raed two days earlier, as both teams aim to build momentum for the season ahead.