Cristiano Ronaldo Frustrated As Al-Hilal Beat Al Nassr to Win Riyadh Season Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo made his first appearance of 2024 but was unable to prevent Al Nassr from losing 2-0 to Al-Hilal on Thursday.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored the opening goal before a brilliant lobbed finish by Salem Aldawsari doubled Al-Hilal's lead in the 30th minute.

Al-Hilal came close to extending their advantage further on multiple occasions and had two goals disallowed for offside.

Ronaldo - who played the full 90 minutes - almost gifted Al-Hilal a goal midway through the first half when he gave the ball away with a no-look back-heeled pass. 

At the other end, Ronaldo recorded four shots but only one forced keeper Yassine Bounou into action.

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward - playing just 72 hours after celebrating his 39th birthday - was caught offside three times.

A frustrated Ronaldo was shown a yellow card in the 53rd minute for kicking the ball away in anger after a free-kick had been awarded to Al-Hilal.

Thursday's contest was the third and final game of the 2024 Riyadh Season Cup.

The mini-series had begun on January 29 when Al-Hilal beat Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 4-3.

An Al Nassr side without Ronaldo then thrashed Miami 6-0 three days later.

But Thursday's defeat saw Al Nassr finish second in the round robin format behind Al-Hilal, who were rewarded with a shiny trophy, which had bizarrely been delivered before the game by WWE legend The Undertaker.

Al-Hilal are also well placed to win the Saudi Pro League ahead of Al Nassr.

After 19 rounds of fixtures, Al-Hilal top the table with 53 points, while Al Nassr sit second on 46.

Highlights: Al-Hilal 2-0 Al Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes for Al Nassr but his team fell to a 2-0 defeat by Al-Hilal on Thursday in the final game of the 2024 Riyadh Season Cup

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