Hey football fans, get ready for some post-match hype 🎉! Last night in the Saudi King's Cup, Karim Benzema showed why he's still one of the game's elite, guiding Al Ittihad to a thrilling 2-1 win over Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and booking a quarterfinal spot.
The action kicked off in the 15th minute when Moussa Diaby picked Al Nassr's pocket on a lightning quick counter-attack. He found Benzema in space, and the former Real Madrid star coolly slotted home to make it 1-0. Talk about #goalmachine!
Al Nassr hit back just after the half-hour mark. Brazilian teen Angelo Gabriel unleashed a stunning strike from inside the box to level things up. The teenager's finish was pure 🔥, leaving fans on both sides buzzing.
But Al Ittihad wasn't done. Ten minutes later, Mario Mitaj slipped in a clever through-pass to Houssem Aouar, whose timing was spot on. He weaved past the defense and tucked the ball past goalkeeper Bento, making it 2-1 right before the break.
The drama continued after halftime. Al Ittihad went down to 10 men when Ahmed Al-Julaydan saw red for a dangerous high kick. Ronaldo then had a golden one-on-one with Predrag Rajkovic but could only fluff his chip into the keeper's chest. Ouch! 😬
Despite the sending-off, Al Ittihad held firm under late pressure to seal the win. This classic clash of former Real Madrid teammates had it all: goals, drama, and head-to-head showdowns. On to the King's Cup quarterfinals they go! 🚀
Reference(s):
Benzema shines as Al Ittihad edge Al Nassr in Saudi King's Cup
cgtn.com
