Cristiano Ronaldo missed a decisive penalty in the 96th minute, sending Al-Nassr out of the King’s Cup with a 1-0 loss to Al-Taawoun in the round of 16.
After returning from a rest in Friday’s 3-3 league draw against Al-Kholood, Ronaldo was back in the starting lineup under manager Stefano Pioli but found his team trailing 1-0 deep into added time.
When a late penalty was awarded, courtesy of substitute Mohammed Maran, Ronaldo took the high-pressure kick.
Known for his precision in crucial moments, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner aimed to power the shot in, only to blast it over the crossbar.
The ball sailed into the stands, where it struck a young fan recording on his phone, sending the device flying.
Though Al-Nassr had seven more minutes of stoppage time, they couldn’t equalize, and Ronaldo’s missed opportunity sealed their cup exit.
This isn’t the first time Ronaldo has had a mishap with a fan’s phone; in 2022, he accidentally knocked one from a boy’s hand during Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Everton.
This loss leaves Al-Nassr with slim chances at silverware, as they sit third in the league table, six points behind champions Al-Hilal after just eight matches. Ronaldo, however, seemed focused on recovery, posting on Instagram: “Every challenge is an opportunity to grow.”
Al-Nassr head coach Stefano Pioli, formerly of AC Milan, expressed disappointment after the match.
“We’re disappointed to be out of the cup, but we still have two championships to fight for,” he said. “Our performance was technically strong, but we couldn’t capitalize on our chances. Al-Taawoun scored from a corner, and that made the difference.”
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