Manchester City’s Club World Cup Hopes Crushed by Al Hilal
Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the Club World Cup on Monday night in Orlando, Florida, by shocking Manchester City 4-3 in extra time to advance to the Club World Cup quarterfinals against Fluminense of Brazil.
Simone Inzaghi’s team defeated the Premier League side—who had taken a lead through Bernardo Silva in the ninth minute—by scoring in the 112th minute, thanks to a goal from Marcos Leonardo, his second of the Club World Cup clash.
Al Hilal took the lead during the Club World Cup showdown with goals from Leonardo and Malcom six minutes after the restart, but City’s Erling Haaland equalized in the 55th minute.
Kalidou Koulibaly headed in Rúben Neves’ corner four minutes into extra time to give the Riyadh-based team the lead again in this intense Club World Cup encounter. Phil Foden then matched the score for City, but Leonardo scored with seven minutes remaining to seal Al Hilal’s victory and one of the tournament’s most thrilling Club World Cup matches.
“We knew it was a difficult game against one of the best teams in the world,” Koulibaly stated. “We wanted to demonstrate our concepts, abilities, and strength, and I believe we created a powerful game.”
“Defensively we were very strong and offensively all of the opportunities we could put inside we put in, so we can be happy,” he added, reflecting on their Club World Cup performance.
Rayan Aït-Nouri of City had brushed the ball’s wrist earlier in the motion, according to replays, but the referee dismissed Al Hilal’s protestations during this high-stakes moment.
Yassine Bounou, the goalkeeper for Al Hilal, then produced a series of key saves to deny City a second before halftime, and the Saudi team equalized seconds after the restart in this dramatic Club World Cup fixture.
A sprawling Éderson first stopped João Cancelo’s ball into the six-yard box after Malcom drove down the right, but Leonardo headed the looping rebound into the open net.
Six minutes later, Cancelo’s ball from deep inside his own half freed Malcom behind the defenders, and the Brazilian calmly swung his shot beyond Ederson—another turning point in the Club World Cup thriller.
The Norwegian was denied a late winner by a last-ditch clearing on the line by Ali Lajami, but the lead only lasted three minutes as Haaland pounced on Silva’s corner.
Koulibaly glanced in a header from a corner four minutes into extra time to give the Saudis the lead in this unforgettable Club World Cup battle, but City equalized when replacements Rayan Cherki and Foden combined to send the England international’s brilliant first-time volley over Bounou and into the bottom corner.
Leonardo scored his second of the evening after Ederson saved Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s header—the exhausted Brazilian falling as he guided the winner home. But Al Hilal would not be stopped, securing a legendary victory.
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