RIYADH: Al-Nasr won their first ever Saudi Super Cup on Saturday by overcoming a strong, battling Al-Taawoun 5-4 on penalties.
After both teams managed to score a single goal at the end of the 90 minutes, extra time could not separate the teams.
However, it was Al-Nasr, who had previously failed to win the cup in 2015 and 2014, who triumphed on penalties.
Al-Taawoun got into the match quickly and went ahead with a devastatingly authoritative header from Cameroonian forward Léandre Tawamba, on the 18th minute, which Al-Nasr’s Australian keeper Brad Jones could do nothing to prevent.
But Tawamba’s evening soon ended as an injury forced him out of the game less then ten minutes after the impressive header raised the hopes of the fans of the Buraidah club.
After the break, Al-Taawoun came out to seal the deal in Jeddah’s Shining Jewel Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City, nearly succeeding early on.
Burundian Cédric Amissi was close to scoring their second, but his shot clipped Jones’s left post before bouncing clear.
But Al-Nasr were not to be denied.
A well worked moved on the 58th minute found Moroccan Abderazzaq Hamdallah who showed skill and determination to break into the Al-Taawoun penalty area before sliding the equalizer nonchalantly past the rushing Cássio, who appeared to get his angles wrong.
The match was destined to see the winners decided on penalties and a close shootout ended with Riyadh’s Al-Nasr lifting the Super Cup for the first time in the clubs history.
After the match, Prince Alwaleed Talal, honored the victorious team tweeting: “I congratulate Al-Nasr Club for winning the Super Cup, and I seize this opportunity to announce a reward of one million Saudi riyals for the club.”
