"Penaldo getting carried for another free trophy" - Twitter reacts as Al-Nassr defeat Abha 3-1 to qualify to the S/F of the King's Cup

Al-Nassr secured an impressive win over Abha to qualify for the semi-finals of the King Cup of Champions at the King Saud University Stadium on March 14.

The hosts came out of the blocks in scintillating fashion, setting the tone for the match with a lightning-fast goal from Sami Al-Najei just 10 seconds in. The visiting Abha defense was caught completely off guard by a speculative ball forward, leaving them reeling and vulnerable. Al-Najei's shot took a deflection, steering it past the keeper and giving the home side the worst possible start.

Al-Nassr weren't content to rest on their laurels, doubling their lead with a stunning finish from Abdullah Al-Khaibari. Pushing forward nicely down the left flank, it looked as though the ball would be delivered into the box for the ever-dangerous Cristiano Ronaldo.

Instead, it was pulled back just behind him, finding the unmarked Al-Khaibari, who buried his effort in stride. Abha had only just begun to find their footing, and this was a massive blow that only made things more difficult for the side.

The first half ended with Al-Nassr sitting pretty, two goals up, and the second half offered minimal consolation for their opponents.

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Abha pull one back in the second half but Al-Nassr secure win

Things went from bad to worse for Abha as Al-Nassr went 3-0 up thanks to some absolutely dreadful defending from the visitors. It was an optimistic corner that should have been cut out with ease. But Abha's defenders failed to communicate, and the keeper did a bad job of punching the ball away.

The ball fell to Mohammed Maran, who fired it in from a tight angle, having anticipated the mistake.

Abha managed to pull one back, however, with substitute Abdulfattah Adam making an excellent contribution since coming off the bench. Latching onto a loose ball after a good save, he gave Abha a glimmer of hope. With 20 minutes left on the clock, they seemed unlikely to find a way back, but it made for a tense finish.

Ronaldo was taken off towards the end after he failed to find the back of the net for the third match in a row. However, without him, Rudi Garcia's side cruised to a well-deserved 3-1 victory, booking their place in the semi-finals.

From the moment they took the lead just 10 seconds in, they looked like a side on a mission, dominating proceedings and thoroughly deserving their win.

Here is how Twitter reacted to Ronaldo's performance as Al-Nassr secured the win:

The two sides will face off again in the Saudi Pro League next on Saturday, March 18.