Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty for the first time while playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, leading to the team’s elimination from the King’s Cup by Al-Taawoun.
What Happened?
On Tuesday, Al-Nassr lost 0-1 to Al-Taawoun, ending their run in the King’s Cup. Ronaldo became the center of attention for missing a penalty in the final moments, which meant his team could not advance to the Round of 16.
Since joining Saudi Arabian football in early 2023, Ronaldo had never missed a penalty, but he shot over the crossbar in the 96th minute, shocking the 14,519 fans at the match.
The experienced 39-year-old forward recently surpassed 900 career goals and was one of the standout players in the game. However, Al-Taawoun‘s Waleed Al Ahmad scored the only goal in the 71st minute, helping his team progress.
Unbeaten Streak Comes to an End
This loss in the King’s Cup broke Al-Nassr‘s impressive 12-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. Their last game was a dramatic 3-3 draw against Al-Kholood in the eighth round of the Saudi Pro League.
During this unbeaten run, Ronaldo‘s team had eight wins and four draws, with Ronaldo contributing significantly by scoring nine goals in 11 matches so far. However, he struggled at a key moment on Tuesday.
Despite the elimination, Al-Nassr has shown a new side under Italian coach Stefano Pioli, who replaced Portuguese coach Luis Castro. Pioli aims to help the team win titles in Arab football.
Al-Nassr‘s exit in the Round of 16 marks another setback for Ronaldo in his quest for a trophy with the club. This task has been nearly impossible for him, as he has only won the Arab Champions Cup in two seasons.
Although Ronaldo has delivered impressive performances, his team ultimately lost to Al-Hilal, who has been their main rival throughout the season and defeated them in the Super Cup at the start of this season.
Ironically, Al-Nassr‘s next opponent will be Al-Hilal, as they face the current Saudi champions this Friday in the ninth round. The team features Brazilian Neymar, who is currently injured and not registered for the tournament but leads the table by five points.
Al-Nassr Next Match
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November 2, Saturday, 2:00 AM: Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal
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November 6, Wednesday, 2:00 AM: Al-Nassr vs Al Ain
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November 9, Saturday, 1:00 AM: Al Riyadh vs Al-Nassr
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November 23, Saturday, 1:00 AM: Al-Nassr vs Al-Hazem
