Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus has praised his side’s resilience and tactical discipline following the club’s qualification for the final of the Saudi Super Cup football tournament after defeating Al-Ittihad Club 2–1 in the semifinal match held in Hong Kong.
Sadio Mane was sent off, but his early goal and a second-half strike from new signing Joao Felix secured a 2–1 win over Al-Ittihad in a tense semi-final on Tuesday.
"We fully deserved the win," Jesus said. "The team was tactically very well organized, especially after Mane’s dismissal."
"We played more than 70 minutes without Mane, who is a key player both in attack and defense. Despite that, our structure held firm," he stated.
Jesus, who took charge of Al-Nassr in July, said he was pleased with the team’s progress given the short preparation time.
"I have only had 25 days with the squad - not a full season. There is still a lot to fix, and 25 days isn’t enough," he said.
"The match was physically demanding, especially with the high humidity and playing a man down, but we came through with a fantastic win that boosts our confidence heading into the final."
Al-Nassr advanced to the final, where they will face the winner of the second semi between Al-Qadsiah and Al-Ahli on Wednesday.
