Cristiano Ronaldo’s rare penalty miss marked a dramatic end to Al-Nassr’s Saudi King’s Cup campaign as they fell to Al Taawon in stoppage time.Known for his unerring consistency in front of goal, the Portuguese forward had a perfect record of 19 consecutive penalty goals, yet on Tuesday night, he uncharacteristically launched his effort over the bar, sealing Al-Nassr’s fate.
- Portuguese phenom Cristiano Ronaldo was the villain as Al-Nassr crashed out of the Saudi King’s Cup
- The 39-year-old missed a stoppage-time penalty as the Knights of Najd lost narrowly to Al Taaowon
- Ronaldo had scored all his previous 19 penalty attempts since joining the Riyadh-based giants in January 2023
Ronaldo’s return was much anticipated after he missed Al-Nassr’s recent draw against Al Kholood in the Saudi Pro League.
Head coach Stefano Pioli wasted no time deploying the star striker, hoping his presence would invigorate the attack.
However, Cristiano found himself tightly marked and unable to breach Al Taawon’s water-tight defence, which effectively stifled Al-Nassr’s usual flow.
The Knights of Najd were pushed to the edge when Brazilian midfielder Flavio put the visitors ahead, piling pressure on Ronaldo and his teammates.
According to One Football, the chance for redemption arrived in the sixth minute of added time, with a penalty offering a lifeline.
But, in a twist, the 39-year-old blasted the ball high over the goal—a miss that proved decisive, Goal reports.
This defeat ends Pioli’s undefeated run since taking over from Luis Castro in September and delivers a significant setback for Al-Nassr, who reached the King’s Cup final last season. Now, they shift focus to a high-stakes encounter against league leaders Al-Hilal on November 1, where reclaiming momentum will be essential.
