1981 King Cup

The 1981 King's Cup was the 23rd season of the knockout competition since its establishment in 1956. Al-Hilal were the defending champions but were defeated by Al-Nassr in the final. Al-Nassr won their 3rd title overall and first since 1976.^[1][2]

1981 King's Cup

Tournament details
Country	Saudi Arabia
Dates	15 April – 14 May 1981
Teams	32
Defending champions	Al-Hilal
Final positions
Champions	Al-Nassr (3rd title)
Runners-up	Al-Hilal
Tournament statistics
Matches played	31
Goals scored	148 (4.77 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)	Toninho Hamad Al-Jaye'e Saud Jassem (5 goals each)
← 1980 1982 →

Bracket

Round of 32

Round of 16

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

A

Al-Nahda (pen.)

0 (4)

H

Al-Ansar

0 (3)

H

Al-Nahda

5

A

Al-Raed

0

H

Al-Ta'alof

1

A

Al-Raed (a.e.t.)

2

A

Al-Nahda

1

H

Al-Ettifaq

3

A

Al-Fateh

1

H

Al-Ettifaq

6

A

Al-Ettifaq (a.e.t.)

3

H

Al-Kawkab

1

H

Al-Shoulla

1

A

Al-Kawkab

2

H

Al-Ettifaq

1

A

Al-Nassr (a.e.t.)

2

H

Al-Jabalain

2

A

Al-Taawoun

0

A

Al-Jabalain

0

H

Al-Qadsiah

2

H

Al-Rabe'e

0

A

Al-Qadsiah

7

H

Al-Qadsiah

1

A

Al-Nassr

5

H

Al-Ahli

4

A

Al-Tai

1

A

Al-Ahli

0

H

Al-Nassr

1

H

Al-Nassr

14

A

Al-Amal

0

–

Al-Nassr

3

–

Al-Hilal

1

A

Al-Rawdhah

4

H

Al-Khaleej

2

A

Al-Rawdhah

2

H

Al-Shate'e

1

A

Al-Nakhil

2

H

Al-Shate'e (a.e.t.)

5

H

Al-Rawdhah

1

A

Al-Ittihad

2

H

Al-Ittihad

5

A

Al-Arabi

1

H

Al-Ittihad

1

A

Al-Shabab

0

A

Al-Shabab

4

H

Ohod

2

H

Al-Ittihad

1

A

Al-Hilal

2

A

Al-Watani

0

H

Al-Riyadh

7

H

Al-Riyadh

2

A

Al-Faisaly

0

A

Al-Faisaly

3

H

Hajer

1

H

Al-Riyadh

0

A

Al-Hilal

2

H

Al-Hilal

11

A

Al-Qala

1

H

Al-Hilal

3

A

Al-Wehda

1

A

Al-Dera'a

0

H

Al-Wehda

12

Source: Al Jazirah

Round of 32

The matches of the Round of 32 were held on 15, 16 and 17 April 1981.^[3][4][5]

Home team	Score	Away team
Al-Nassr	14–0	Al-Amal
Al-Ahli	4–1	Al-Tai
Al-Ettifaq	6–1	Al-Fateh
Al-Ta'alof	1–2 (a.e.t.)	Al-Raed
Al-Shate'e	5–2 (a.e.t.)	Al-Nakhil
Al-Ittihad	5–1	Al-Arabi
Ohod	2–4	Al-Shabab
Al-Riyadh	7–0	Al-Watani
Hajer	1–3	Al-Faisaly
Al-Wehda	12–0	Al-Dera'a
Al-Hilal	11–1	Al-Qala
Al-Ansar	0–0 (3–4 pen.)	Al-Nahda
Al-Jabalain	2–0	Al-Taawoun
Al-Rabe'e	0–7	Al-Qadsiah
Al-Khaleej	2–4	Al-Rawdhah
Al-Shoulla	1–2	Al-Kawkab

Round of 16

The Round of 16 matches were held on 22, 23 and 24 April 1981.^[6][7][8][9]

Home team	Score	Away team
Al-Kawkab	1–3 (a.e.t.)	Al-Ettifaq
Al-Nahda	5–0	Al-Raed
Al-Qadsiah	2–0	Al-Jabalain
Al-Ittihad	1–0	Al-Shabab
Al-Hilal	3–1	Al-Wehda
Al-Nassr	1–0	Al-Ahli
Al-Riyadh	2–0	Al-Faisaly
Al-Shate'e	1–2	Al-Rawdhah

Quarter-finals

The Quarter-final matches were held on 30 April and 1 May 1981.^[10][11][12]

Home team	Score	Away team
Al-Rawdhah	1–2	Al-Ittihad
Al-Qadsiah	1–5	Al-Nassr
Al-Riyadh	0–2	Al-Hilal
Al-Ettifaq	3–1	Al-Nahda

Semi-finals

The four winners of the quarter-finals progressed to the semi-finals. The semi-finals were played on 7 and 8 May 1981. All times are local, AST (UTC+3).

Al-Ettifaq	1–2 (a.e.t.)	Al-Nassr
Jorge 70'	Report	Al-Qassar 35' (o.g.) Abdullah 97'

7 May 1981

16:30

Youth Welfare Stadium in Dammam, Dammam

Referee: Muthaib Al-Joaid

Al-Ittihad	1–2	Al-Hilal
Beer 65'	Report	Al-Nu'eimeh 29' Al-Hathlool 36'

8 May 1981

16:30

Youth Welfare Stadium in Jeddah, Jeddah

Referee: Abdullah Al-Mawzan

Final

The final was played between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal in the Youth Welfare Stadium in Riyadh.^[13][14] This was Al-Nassr's 6th final and Al-Hilal's 7th final. This was the first meeting between these sides in King Cup finals.

Al-Nassr	3–1	Al-Hilal
Khamees 24' Abdullah 38' Al-Yahya 68'	Report	Rivellino 63'

14 May 1981

15:30 (UTC+3)

Youth Welfare Stadium in Al-Malaz, Riyadh

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Fahad Al-Dahmash

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Toninho	Al-Nassr	5
	Hamad Al-Jaye'e	Al-Rawdhah
	Saud Jassem	Al-Qadsiah
4	Majed Abdullah	Al-Nassr	4
	Yousef Khamees	Al-Nassr
	Néjib Limam	Al-Hilal
	Jamal Mohammed	Al-Ettifaq