Cristiano Ronaldo endured a disappointing night, missing a penalty in Al Nassr’s 1-0 defeat to Al Taawoun in the King Cup of Champions 2024-25 Round of 16 clash at Al Awwal Park on Tuesday. Waleed Al-Ahmed netted the decisive goal for the visitors, ending Al Nassr’s hopes of repeating last season’s journey to the final, where they ultimately fell to Al Hilal in a penalty shootout.
Al Nassr controlled possession in a hard-fought match but found it difficult to break through Al Taawoun’s defense, managing only five of their 15 shots on target. Al Taawoun capitalized on a 70th-minute set piece when Waleed Al-Ahmed headed in a corner. As the clock ticked down, Ronaldo rallied his team, but costly mistakes stifled their comeback attempts.
The pivotal moment arrived at stoppage time when Al Nassr was awarded a penalty for a foul on Sultan Al-Ghannam. Ronaldo stepped up to the spot but sent the shot wide, sealing Al Nassr’s exit from the tournament. This was the first time that the Euro 2016 winner missed a penalty for the Saudi side after 18 successful conversions.
Cristiano Ronaldo 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 the chance to score a penalty in the 96th minute to tie the match against Al-Taawon in the Round of 16 of the Kings Cup… 👀😱
His 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓-𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 penalty miss for Al Nassr 😲 pic.twitter.com/S7LATu4fad
— Pubity Sport (@pubitysport) October 29, 2024
At the final whistle, the disappointment was evident among Al Nassr players, who had been riding high on a five-game winning streak. This early exit from the King’s Cup dealt a heavy blow to the club, which had come agonizingly close to the title last season before falling to Al Hilal in a tense penalty shootout. This loss also marks Stefano Pioli’s first defeat since taking over as head coach from Luis Castro in September.
In the post-match press conference, Al Nassr coach Stefano Pioli voiced his disappointment over the cup exit but emphasized that there’s still plenty left to fight for this season. “It’s unfortunate to be knocked out, but we have two major competitions remaining, and we’ll give our all,” Pioli quoted.
Following this exit, Al Nassr’s focus shifts to the league and AFC Champions League, with high expectations still surrounding Ronaldo. The pressure to deliver titles is mounting, and while the Portuguese legend has showcased his skill repeatedly, nights like this serve as a reminder that even the best can have off days.
Ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid icon Ronaldo and his side still have two routes to silverware this season, though they currently trail Al-Hilal by six points in the Saudi Pro League after eight matches and have collected seven points from their first three Asian Champions League group-stage games.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
