Saudi Arabia`s Al-Hilal delivered the biggest upset of the Club World Cup on Monday, defeating English powerhouse Manchester City 4-3 in a thrilling extra-time encounter. This victory marks a significant moment for the last remaining team in the competition from outside Europe or South America.
Manchester City got off to a quick start, taking the lead through Bernardo Silva after only nine minutes. However, Al-Hilal disputed the goal, suggesting a handball occurred after the ball deflected off Ilkay Gundogan in a crowded penalty area before reaching Silva, who finished from close range. Despite heated discussions on the field, the goal was allowed to stand.
The English side maintained control throughout the first half against a defensive Al-Hilal, registering nine shots, seven of which were on target, and accumulating 2.08 expected goals (xG). Nonetheless, Al-Hilal`s goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, was outstanding, making six saves before the halftime whistle.
The dynamic shifted dramatically in the second half. Al-Hilal found an equalizer within a minute of the restart courtesy of Marcos Leonardo. A cross from Joao Cancelo was initially touched by Ederson, but the ball rebounded in the box before falling to Leonardo, whose light header surprisingly beat the City keeper despite its lack of pace.
Just six minutes later, Al-Hilal took the lead for the first time in the match. A counter-attack saw Cancelo find Malcom, who embarked on a long run before scoring with a shot from distance.
This lead was brief, as Erling Haaland equalized for City just three minutes later. Following a corner, the ball didn`t land directly at Haaland`s feet, but the Norwegian striker reacted effectively amid the chaos in the penalty area to score from close range.
With regulation time ending at 2-2, the match exploded in the extra 30 minutes. Al-Hilal scored first, with Kalidou Koulibaly heading in from a corner in the 94th minute to restore their lead at 3-2. The back-and-forth nature of the game continued as City equalized 10 minutes later; substitute Phil Foden netted a composed finish after receiving an excellent cross into the box from Rayan Cherki.
The decisive seventh goal came eight minutes before the final whistle. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic`s header was saved by Ederson, but the rebound fell straight back into the danger zone. Marcos Leonardo, even while off balance, managed to get the vital touch on the bouncing ball, sending it past Ederson and into the net for the winning goal.
Despite statistically dominating the game with 30 shots (14 on target) and 4.21 xG compared to Al-Hilal`s 17 shots and 3.16 xG, City were ultimately undone by Bounou`s exceptional performance, who made 11 saves in total, and their own defensive vulnerabilities. This result means Manchester City concludes the season without a trophy for the first time since Pep Guardiola`s inaugural campaign in 2016.
For Al-Hilal, this victory is a monumental statement for Saudi Arabian club football, highlighting the substantial investment by the Public Investment Fund in attracting prominent players and managers. While efforts to sign players like Cristiano Ronaldo and N`Golo Kante for the tournament were unsuccessful, they did appoint manager Simone Inzaghi just weeks before their first match. This allowed Inzaghi to claim a notable win over Guardiola, two years after his Inter side lost to City in the UEFA Champions League final.
Al-Hilal is now set to face Fluminense in the quarterfinals on Friday in Orlando. Fluminense also secured a surprising victory on Monday by defeating Inter 2-0.
Adrian Whitmore