Al-Nassr Beat Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup semi-finals
Jao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Al-Nassr
Al-Nassr were hammered 4-1 by Al-Hillal in the Super Cup final last yea
Al-Nassr overcame Sadio Mane's red card as Joao Felix's goal earned a 2-1 victory over Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup semi-finals.
Cristiano Ronaldo burst in behind Al-Ittihad's defence and neatly set up his compatriot for a simple finish in the 61st minute of Tuesday's clash in Hong Kong.
The strike was initially ruled out for offside, but was awarded after a VAR review, with Joao Felix able to celebrate his first goal for his new club following his move from Chelsea.
Mane had given Al-Nassr a 10th-minute lead when he volleyed in from Marcelo Brozovic's centre, though Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Hamed Al Shanqiti could have done better.
Yet Steven Bergwijn pulled Al-Ittihad level as he tucked home from Moussa Diaby's cutback, and Al-Nassr were up against it when Mane received a red card for an apparent stamp on Al Shanqiti in the 25th minute.
Al-Nassr, though, withstood the pressure, with Joao Felix's breakaway goal proving decisive. He had another effort ruled out after a VAR check soon after, and also hit the post, while Saleh Al Shehri's stoppage-time header, which was saved by Bento, was the closest Al-Ittihad came to another equaliser.
Data Debrief: Joao Felix's flying start
Al-Nassr were hammered 4-1 by Al-Hillal in the Super Cup final last year, but will be confident of atoning for that when they take on either Al-Qasidah or Al-Ahli on Saturday.
Despite playing over an hour with 10 men, Al-Nassr had more shots (15 to 10) and accumulated a higher expected goals (xG) tally than Al-Ittihad (2.32 to 1.44).
Joao Felix accounted for 1.22 of that xG, having three shots on his competitive debut, a tally beaten only by Ronaldo (six) among his team-mates. Fellow new boy Kingsley Coman, meanwhile, created four chances, leading Al-Nassr along with Brozovic.
