Al Nassr’s hopes of lifting the King’s Cup ended abruptly on Tuesday night as Al Ittihad, reduced to ten men early in the second half, held firm to claim a gritty 2–1 victory at Al Awwal Park.

Goals from Karim Benzema and Houssem Aouar secured progression for the visitors, while Angelo Gabriel’s first-half strike briefly gave the hosts a lifeline. The result sees Al Nassr exit the competition far earlier than expected, piling pressure on head coach Luís Castro.

Benzema opened the scoring in the 15th minute, expertly slotting home a through ball from Moussa Diaby. Ronaldo responded moments later with a clever assist to Angelo, whose curling effort found the top corner to level the contest in the 30th minute.

But just before halftime, Aouar restored Al Ittihad’s lead with a well-placed shot from the edge of the area after a defensive lapse from Aymeric Laporte. That goal ultimately proved decisive, despite a relentless second-half push from Al Nassr.

The visitors’ task became harder when defender Ahmed Al Julaydan received a straight red card in the 49th minute for a reckless challenge. However, Al Nassr squandered several chances to capitalise, with both Sadio Mané and Kingsley Coman missing from close range.

Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating evening in front of goal. The 40-year-old completed 83% of his passes (19 out of 23), managed five shots only one on target and failed to register a successful dribble. His late header over the bar summed up a night to forget.

According to Opta data, Al Nassr dominated possession (66%) and attempted 15 shots compared to Al Ittihad’s eight, but their lack of composure in the final third proved costly. Goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe made four key saves to deny the hosts an equaliser.

The defeat means Al Nassr will now turn their focus to the Saudi Pro League, where they currently sit third, and the AFC Champions League, their remaining hopes for silverware this season. The club’s last domestic cup triumph came in 2021.

For Ronaldo, the result extends a personal drought he has yet to lift a trophy in Saudi Arabia since joining Al Nassr in late 2022. The Portuguese veteran has scored 11 goals this campaign but continues to chase team success to match his prolific numbers.

Al Ittihad, meanwhile, celebrated a statement win led by Benzema’s leadership and defensive resilience. The defending champions advance to the quarterfinals, proving that even with a man down, their experience and discipline can still topple one of Saudi football’s most star-studded sides.