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Paul McNamara

Cristiano Ronaldo extended his Hong Kong adventure on Tuesday, creating the winning goal for 10-man Al-Nassr to beat Al-Ittihad 2-1 on a night of high drama at Hong Kong Stadium.
With the teams level, and Al-Nassr reduced by the 25th-minute dismissal of Sadio Mane, Ronaldo galloped onto a ball from Nawaf Boushal in the 61st minute and unselfishly presented Joao Felix with the easiest of debut goals.
When an original decision to disallow the strike for offside against Ronaldo was overturned, he celebrated wildly.
Al-Nassr will meet the winners of Wednesday’s second Saudi Super Cup semi-final between Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah in Saturday’s final.
Gleaning the immediate thoughts of winning head coach Jorge Jesus, and beaten counterpart Laurent Blanc proved challenging.
They conducted their press conferences in their native Portuguese and French, respectively, with organisers only providing a translation in Arabic.
Blanc, ultimately, angrily marched out after seeming to take offence to a question from a journalist from Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo and his allies appeared set for a straightforward night when Mane squeezed an attempt beyond the weak defences of goalkeeper Hamed Al-Shanqiti after 10 minutes.
By the time Mane was sent off 15 minutes later, after an ugly challenge on 20-year-old keeper Al-Shanqiti, Steven Bergwijn had equalised for the reigning Saudi champions.
But Al-Ittihad never looked like exploiting their numerical advantage, with Al-Nassr the faster, hungrier and more aggressive team.
Organisers will probably have been disappointed to see banks of empty seats, but the 30,653 who came to this old Causeway Bay venue, many kitted in Ronaldo jerseys of various vintages, shrieked and bellowed whenever their hero got in on the action.
The 40-year-old was cheered to the rafters when he sprinted to keep possession alive following Kingsley Coman’s overhit second-minute cross.
He need not have bothered, as Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti swiftly pinched the ball off Ronaldo’s toes.
Mane soon accelerated past Al-Shanqeeti only for Ronaldo to hopelessly miskick his attempt from the cutback into the path of Coman, who blazed over.
Forward Mane had his first complaint over the officiating when he wanted a penalty after falling under pressure from a hotly pursuing N’Golo Kante.
Seconds later, Mane was wreathed in smiles after he skilfully steered a volley on target from Marcelo Brozovic’s ferocious left-wing cross. Al-Shanqiti got both hands to the ball and should have made the save.
A jolly band of around 40 Al-Ittihad ultras crowded together in the North Stand constantly tried to make themselves heard over the chorus of support for Ronaldo.
They had nothing other than an early Karim Benzema shot past the post to get excited about, until their team levelled out of the blue in the 16th minute.
Moussa Diaby strode onto Mario Mitaj’s pass behind the defence, before coolly teeing up Bergwijn to finish into an unguarded net.


Mane’s dismissal was sandwiched by Ronaldo failing to leap high enough to connect with Ayman Yahya’s flighted delivery, and the Portuguese thudding a shot into defender Danilo Pereira.
In first-half stoppage time, Ronaldo sent a 25-yard free-kick whistling over, before Benzema worked Al-Nassr keeper Bento at his near post.
Mohamed Simakan headed wide from a Brozovic corner shortly after the restart, as the Ronaldo devotees took to jeering Al-Shanqiti for his unwitting role in Mane’s red card.
Silent anticipation gave way to cries of anguish when Ronaldo skied a 12-yard attempt, but he was quickly making amends with a pass across the face of goal for Felix to convert.
Felix thought he had scored again only for VAR to spot an infringement in the lead-up to his fierce blast beneath the struggling Al-Shanqiti.
The Portuguese’s annoyance was heightened, then compounded, when he was first not awarded a penalty following a heavy-handed challenge from Saad Al-Mousa, then hit the post after rounding Al-Shanqiti.
Ronaldo exited to a raucous ovation when he was substituted in the final minute, before Bento leapt to clutch Awad Aman’s stoppage time header, as Al-Nassr deservedly held on.


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Saudi Pro League

Saudi Super Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo creates winner as Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad in semi-final

Al-Nassr players celebrate Joao Felix’s winner. Photo: Elson Li

Cristiano Ronaldo applauds supporters after being substituted. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong footballers say pitch bookings were cancelled for Ronaldo’s team to use

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr teammates train in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: Handout

Photo: Instagram/d.vos14

Ronaldo in Hong Kong: new Al-Nassr boss says coaching CR7 was incentive to join

Cristiano Ronaldo leads his Al-Nassr teammates in a sprint session ahead of the Saudi Super Cup semi-final. Photo: Eugene Lee

Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) and Joao Felix (right) in training at the Joint Sports Centre. Photo: Eugene Lee

Sport

Football

Portuguese star sets up winning strike for compatriot Joao Felix as his team overcome Sadio Mane’s first-half red card


Portuguese star sets up winning strike for compatriot Joao Felix as his team overcome Sadio Mane’s first-half red card.


Saudi Super Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo creates winner as Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad in semi-final

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Portuguese star sets up winning strike for compatriot Joao Felix as his team overcome Sadio Mane’s first-half red card

Portuguese star sets up winning strike for compatriot Joao Felix as his team overcome Sadio Mane’s first-half red card