Stefano Pioli avoided an embarrassing first defeat as Al-Nassr head coach as Nawaf Bu Washl's 91st minute winner saw the visitors beat second tier Al-Hazem in the King's Cup on Monday.
2024/2025 King's Cup
1-2
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
5' Highlight from Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
9' Highlight from Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
18' Highlight from Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
27' Match Event for Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
37' Match Event for Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
45' Match Event for Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
51' GOAL! Al Hazem 0-1 Al Nassr FC (Sadio Mané)
52' Highlight from Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
62' GOAL! Al Hazem 1-1 Al Nassr FC (Basil Yousef Al-Sayyali)
68' Match Event for Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
76' Match Event for Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
90' Match Event for Al Hazem vs Al Nassr FC
92' GOAL! Al Hazem 1-2 Al Nassr FC (Nawaf Al-Boushal)
Match Report
Pioli, taking charge of his second game of the Saudi Pro League club, saw his side go close to opening the scoring early on when Talisca's effort struck the woodwork.
But Al-Nassr's dominance was rewarded in the sixth minute of first-half injury time when Sadio Mane headed beyond Ibrahim Zaid after Sultan Al Ghannam's cross.
However, the hosts stunned Pioli's side just after the hour-mark as Basil Al Sayyali turned home his second goal of the season with an emphatic finish off the crossbar.
Al-Nassr's frustrations continued heading into the closing stages as Mane, Mohammed Marran and Wesley saw their efforts repelled by their plucky opponents.
But with the game poised for extra-time, a defensive mix-up between Saud Al Rashed and Zaid allowed Bu Washl to steal in, finishing into an empty net to send the visitors into the hat for the next round.
|| Full time,@AlNassrFC 2:1 #AlHazem
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) September 23, 2024
Mane
Boushal pic.twitter.com/X7MoPiHPiI
Data Debrief: Pioli feels Ronaldo absence
Without Cristiano Ronaldo within their ranks, Al-Nassr lacked a clinical finisher at the top end of the pitch, failing to capitalise on the opportunities they created.
The visitors ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 3.16, but only eight of their 21 shots were on target, whilst they also missed five big chances.
Mane was the notable standout for Pioli's side, registering more touches in the opposition box (eight) and total shots (five) than anyone for Al-Nassr.
Line-ups
Al Hazem XI: Yoda, Ibrahim Zaied, Juriën Gaari, Nawaf Al-Habashi, Abdurahman Al-Dakheel, Abdullah Al-Samti, Farhan Al-Aazmi, Basil Yousef Al-Sayyali, Mohammed Al-Yami, Saud Al Rashed, Abdul Al Dhuwayhi
Subs: Zinho Gano, Okacha Hamzaoui, Abdulrahman Al-Khaibary, Ibrahima Ndiaye, Yousef Al-Shammari, Turki Al-Mutairi, Ahmed Al-Nakhli, Abdullah Al-Shanqiti, Abdulaziz Al-Harbi, Hussain Freij, Ahmed Al-Shamrani, Yazan Abdullah Muaidhf Al Ruwaili
Al Nassr FC XI: Laporte, Mohammed Al-Fatil, Mane, Otávio, Talisca, Mukhtar Ali, Sultan Al-Ghannam, Abdulrahman Ghareeb, Bento, Nawaf Al-Boushal, Ângelo
Subs: Abdullah Alkhaibari, Raghed Al-Najjar, Ali Al-Hassan, Mohamed Simakan, Ayman Yahya, Mohammed Maran, Salem Al Najdi, Wesley, Majed Qasheesh, Mubarak Al-Buainain