1981 King Cup

{{infobox football tournament season | title = King's Cup | year = 1981 | other_titles = | image = | image_size = | caption = | country = Saudi Arabia | dates = 15 April – 14 May 1981 | num_teams = 32 | winners = Al-Nassr (3rd title) | second = Al-Hilal | matches = 31 | goals = 148 | scoring_leader = Toninho Hamad Al-Jaye'e Saud Jassem (5 goals each) | award = | prev_season = 1980 | next_season = 1982 }}

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.<ref>{{cite web |title=جلالة الملك يسلم الكاس لنادي النصر |url=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/MAY1981/15-05-1981-3195/3195-00101.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=RSSSF - Saudi Arabia - List of Cup Winners |url=http://rsssf.com/tabless/saucuphist.html}}</ref>

==Bracket== {{32TeamBracket | RD1 ='''Round of 32''' | RD2 ='''Round of 16''' | RD3 ='''Quarter-finals''' | RD4 ='''Semi-finals''' | RD5 ='''Final'''

| RD1-seed01=A| RD1-team01='''Al-Nahda''' (pen.)| RD1-score01='''0 (4)''' | RD1-seed02=H| RD1-team02=Al-Ansar| RD1-score02=0 (3) | RD1-seed03=H| RD1-team03=Al-Ta'alof| RD1-score03=1 | RD1-seed04=A| RD1-team04='''Al-Raed''' {{aet}}| RD1-score04='''2''' | RD1-seed05=A| RD1-team05=Al-Fateh| RD1-score05=1 | RD1-seed06=H| RD1-team06='''Al-Ettifaq'''| RD1-score06='''6''' | RD1-seed07=H| RD1-team07=Al-Shoulla| RD1-score07=1 | RD1-seed08=A| RD1-team08='''Al-Kawkab'''| RD1-score08='''2''' | RD1-seed09=H| RD1-team09='''Al-Jabalain'''| RD1-score09='''2''' | RD1-seed10=A| RD1-team10=Al-Taawoun| RD1-score10=0 | RD1-seed11=H| RD1-team11=Al-Rabe'e| RD1-score11=0 | RD1-seed12=A| RD1-team12='''Al-Qadsiah'''| RD1-score12='''7''' | RD1-seed13=H| RD1-team13='''Al-Ahli'''| RD1-score13='''4''' | RD1-seed14=A| RD1-team14=Al-Tai| RD1-score14=1 | RD1-seed15=H| RD1-team15='''Al-Nassr'''| RD1-score15='''14''' | RD1-seed16=A| RD1-team16=Al-Amal| RD1-score16=0 | RD1-seed17=A| RD1-team17='''Al-Rawdhah'''| RD1-score17='''4''' | RD1-seed18=H| RD1-team18=Al-Khaleej| RD1-score18=2 | RD1-seed19=A| RD1-team19=Al-Nakhil| RD1-score19=2 | RD1-seed20=H| RD1-team20='''Al-Shate'e''' {{aet}}| RD1-score20='''5''' | RD1-seed21=H| RD1-team21='''Al-Ittihad'''| RD1-score21='''5''' | RD1-seed22=A| RD1-team22=Al-Arabi| RD1-score22=1 | RD1-seed23=A| RD1-team23='''Al-Shabab'''| RD1-score23='''4''' | RD1-seed24=H| RD1-team24=Ohod| RD1-score24=2 | RD1-seed25=A| RD1-team25=Al-Watani| RD1-score25=0 | RD1-seed26=H| RD1-team26='''Al-Riyadh'''| RD1-score26='''7''' | RD1-seed27=A| RD1-team27='''Al-Faisaly'''| RD1-score27='''3''' | RD1-seed28=H| RD1-team28=Hajer| RD1-score28=1 | RD1-seed29=H| RD1-team29='''Al-Hilal'''| RD1-score29='''11''' | RD1-seed30=A| RD1-team30=Al-Qala| RD1-score30=1 | RD1-seed31=A| RD1-team31=Al-Dera'a| RD1-score31=0 | RD1-seed32=H| RD1-team32='''Al-Wehda'''| RD1-score32='''12'''

|RD2-seed01=H|RD2-team01='''Al-Nahda'''|RD2-score01='''5''' |RD2-seed02=A|RD2-team02=Al-Raed|RD2-score02=0 |RD2-seed03=A|RD2-team03='''Al-Ettifaq''' {{aet}}|RD2-score03='''3''' |RD2-seed04=H|RD2-team04=Al-Kawkab|RD2-score04=1 |RD2-seed05=A|RD2-team05=Al-Jabalain|RD2-score05=0 |RD2-seed06=H|RD2-team06='''Al-Qadsiah'''|RD2-score06='''2''' |RD2-seed07=A|RD2-team07=Al-Ahli|RD2-score07=0 |RD2-seed08=H|RD2-team08='''Al-Nassr'''|RD2-score08='''1''' |RD2-seed09=A|RD2-team09='''Al-Rawdhah'''|RD2-score09='''2''' |RD2-seed10=H|RD2-team10=Al-Shate'e|RD2-score10=1 |RD2-seed11=H|RD2-team11='''Al-Ittihad'''|RD2-score11='''1''' |RD2-seed12=A|RD2-team12=Al-Shabab|RD2-score12=0 |RD2-seed13=H|RD2-team13='''Al-Riyadh'''|RD2-score13='''2''' |RD2-seed14=A|RD2-team14=Al-Faisaly|RD2-score14=0 |RD2-seed15=H|RD2-team15='''Al-Hilal'''|RD2-score15='''3''' |RD2-seed16=A|RD2-team16=Al-Wehda|RD2-score16=1

|RD4-seed01=H|RD4-team01=Al-Ettifaq|RD4-score01=1 |RD4-seed02=A|RD4-team02='''Al-Nassr''' {{aet}}|RD4-score02='''2''' |RD4-seed03=H|RD4-team03=Al-Ittihad|RD4-score03=1 |RD4-seed04=A|RD4-team04='''Al-Hilal'''|RD4-score04='''2'''

|RD5-seed01=–|RD5-team01='''Al-Nassr'''|RD5-score01='''3''' |RD5-seed02=–|RD5-team02=Al-Hilal|RD5-score02=1 }}

'''Source:''' [http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1980/DEC1980/30-12-1980-3059/3059-02101.jpg Al Jazirah]

==Round of 32== The matches of the Round of 32 were held on 15, 16 and 17 April 1981.<ref>{{cite web |title=Al Jazirah newspaper 16-04-1981 |url=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/APR1981/16-04-1981-3166/3166-02001.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Al Jazirah newspaper 17-04-1981 |url=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/APR1981/17-04-1981-3167/3167-02101.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Al Yaum newspaper 18-04-1981 |url=https://ia801908.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/21/items/Alyawm1981SaudiArabiaArabic/Apr%2018%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233155%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2.zip&file=Apr%2018%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233155%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2/Apr%2018%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233155%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_0011.jp2&scale=4&rotate=0 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- ! Home team ! Score ! Away team |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Nassr | 14–0 | Al-Amal |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Ahli | 4–1 | Al-Tai |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Ettifaq | 6–1 | Al-Fateh |- | Al-Ta'alof | 1–2 {{aet}} | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Raed |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Shate'e | 5–2 {{aet}} | Al-Nakhil |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Ittihad | 5–1 | Al-Arabi |- | Ohod | 2–4 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Shabab |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Riyadh | 7–0 | Al-Watani |- | Hajer | 1–3 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Faisaly |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Wehda | 12–0 | Al-Dera'a |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Hilal | 11–1 | Al-Qala |- | Al-Ansar | 0–0 (3–4 pen.) | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Nahda |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Jabalain | 2–0 | Al-Taawoun |- | Al-Rabe'e | 0–7 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Qadsiah |- | Al-Khaleej | 2–4 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Rawdhah |- | Al-Shoulla | 1–2 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Kawkab |}

==Round of 16== The Round of 16 matches were held on 22, 23 and 24 April 1981.<ref>{{cite web |title=Al Yaum newspaper 23-04-1981 |url=https://ia801908.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/21/items/Alyawm1981SaudiArabiaArabic/Apr%2023%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233160%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2.zip&file=Apr%2023%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233160%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2/Apr%2023%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233160%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_0012.jp2&scale=4&rotate=0 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Al Jazirah newspaper 24-04-1981 |url=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/APR1981/24-04-1981-3174/3174-02101.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Al Jazirah newspaper 25-04-1981 |url=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/APR1981/25-04-1981-3175/3175-02001.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Al Jazirah newspaper 25-04-1981 (2) |url=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/APR1981/25-04-1981-3175/3175-02101.jpg}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- ! Home team ! Score ! Away team |- | Al-Kawkab | 1–3 {{aet}} | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Ettifaq |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Nahda | 5–0 | Al-Raed |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Qadsiah | 2–0 | Al-Jabalain |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Ittihad | 1–0 | Al-Shabab |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Hilal | 3–1 | Al-Wehda |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Nassr | 1–0 | Al-Ahli |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Riyadh | 2–0 | Al-Faisaly |- | Al-Shate'e | 1–2 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Rawdhah |}

==Quarter-finals== The Quarter-final matches were held on 30 April and 1 May 1981.<ref>{{cite web |title=Al Jazirah newspaper 01-05-1981 |url=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/MAY1981/01-05-1981-3181/3181-02101.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Al Yaum newspaper 02-05-1981 |url=https://ia803208.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/29/items/Alyawm1981SaudiArabiaArabic/May%2002%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233167%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2.zip&file=May%2002%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233167%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2/May%2002%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233167%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_0011.jp2&id=Alyawm1981SaudiArabiaArabic&scale=1&rotate=0 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Al Yaum newspaper 02-05-1981 (2) |url=https://ia803208.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/29/items/Alyawm1981SaudiArabiaArabic/May%2002%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233167%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2.zip&file=May%2002%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233167%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2/May%2002%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233167%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_0012.jp2&id=Alyawm1981SaudiArabiaArabic&scale=1&rotate=0 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- ! Home team ! Score ! Away team |- | Al-Rawdhah | 1–2 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Ittihad |- | Al-Qadsiah | 1–5 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Nassr |- | Al-Riyadh | 0–2 | bgcolor="ccffcc" |Al-Hilal |- | bgcolor="ccffcc" |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).

{{football box |date=7 May 1981 |time=16:30 |team1=Al-Ettifaq |score=1–2 |aet=yes |team2=Al-Nassr |report=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/MAY1981/08-05-1981-3188/3188-02101.jpg |goals1=Jorge {{goal|70}} |goals2=Al-Qassar {{goal|35|o.g.}} Abdullah {{goal|97}} |stadium=Youth Welfare Stadium in Dammam |location=Dammam |referee=Muthaib Al-Joaid |stack=yes }}

{{football box |date=8 May 1981 |time=16:30 |team1=Al-Ittihad |score=1–2 |team2=Al-Hilal |report=http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/MAY1981/09-05-1981-3189/3189-02101.jpg |goals1=Beer {{goal|65}} |goals2=Al-Nu'eimeh {{goal|29}} Al-Hathlool {{goal|36}} |stadium=Youth Welfare Stadium in Jeddah |location=Jeddah |referee=Abdullah Al-Mawzan |stack=yes }}

==Final== The final was played between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal in the Youth Welfare Stadium in Riyadh.<ref>{{cite web |title=Al Yaum newspaper 14-05-1981 |url=https://ia801908.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/21/items/Alyawm1981SaudiArabiaArabic/May%2014%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233178%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2.zip&file=May%2014%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233178%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_jp2/May%2014%201981%2C%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85%20%28Alyawm%29%2C%20%233178%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%20%28ar%29_0011.jp2&scale=4&rotate=0 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=النهائي |url=https://www.kooora.com/?c=12819&stage=5}}</ref> 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.

{{football box | date = 14 May 1981 | time = 15:30 (UTC+3) | team1 = Al-Nassr | score = 3–1 | report = http://search.al-jazirah.com.sa/FLASHPDFARCH/1981/MAY1981/15-05-1981-3195/3195-02101.jpg | team2 = Al-Hilal | goals1 = Khamees {{goal|24}} Abdullah {{goal|38}} Al-Yahya {{goal|68}} | goals2 = Rivellino {{goal|63}} | stadium = Youth Welfare Stadium in Al-Malaz | attendance = 20,000 | referee = Fahad Al-Dahmash | location = Riyadh }}

== Top goalscorers == {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" !Rank !Player !Club !Goals |- |rowspan=3|1 | align="left" |'''{{flagicon|BRA}}''' Toninho | align="left" |Al-Nassr |rowspan=3|5 |- | align="left" |'''{{flagicon|KSA}}''' Hamad Al-Jaye'e | align="left" |Al-Rawdhah |- | align="left" |'''{{flagicon|KSA}}''' Saud Jassem | align="left" |Al-Qadsiah |- |rowspan=4|4 | align="left" |'''{{flagicon|KSA}}''' Majed Abdullah | align="left" |Al-Nassr |rowspan=4|4 |- | align="left" |'''{{flagicon|KSA}}''' Yousef Khamees | align="left" |Al-Nassr |- | align="left" |'''{{flagicon|TUN}}''' Néjib Limam | align="left" |Al-Hilal |- | align="left" |'''{{flagicon|KSA}}''' Jamal Mohammed | align="left" |Al-Ettifaq |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

1981 Saudi Arabia Cup