Al-Ittihad Maintain King's Cup Title Defence With Narrow Victory Against Al-Nassr

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In a thrilling encounter, Al-Ittihad eliminated Al-Nassr from the King's Cup, while Al-Hilal secured a spot in the quarter-finals. Despite being reduced to 10 men for over 40 minutes after Ahmed Al Julaydan's dismissal, Al-Ittihad managed to hold on. Karim Benzema's early goal was equalised by Angelo of Al-Nassr, but Houssem Aouar restored the lead before halftime.

Al-Nassr's formidable attack, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Kingsley Coman, couldn't find an equaliser. This allowed Sergio Conceicao's team to leave Al-Awwal Park with a narrow 2-1 win. The victory was celebrated by Al-Ittihad fans as they maintained their strong form at this venue.

Meanwhile, Al-Hilal faced a tough challenge against Al-Okhdood but emerged victorious with a slender 1-0 scoreline. Simone Inzaghi's squad is now eyeing their tenth title, having last defeated Al-Nassr in the 2024 final. This win keeps them on track for another championship triumph.

The match statistics revealed an intriguing contrast between the teams. Al-Ittihad had only six shots with three on target and two goals. In contrast, Jorge Jesus' team attempted 22 shots but could only force four saves from Predrag Rajkovic. Despite having just over 30% possession and playing much of the second half with one less player, Conceicao's side held firm.

The xG (expected goals) metric slightly favoured Al-Nassr at 1.01 compared to their opponents' 0.97. However, it was the visitors who capitalised on their chances more effectively to secure the win.

This result highlights the resilience and tactical discipline of Sergio Conceicao's team as they continue their quest in the King's Cup.