In a significant upset at the Club World Cup on Monday, Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal overcame English powerhouse Manchester City in a thrilling 4-3 victory after extra time. This result stands out as the biggest surprise of the tournament so far, with Al-Hilal being the last team remaining from outside Europe or South America.
Manchester City began the match strongly, taking an early lead through Bernardo Silva in the ninth minute. However, the goal was met with protests from Al-Hilal, who disputed the sequence leading to the score. The ball appeared to deflect off Ilkay Gundogan in a crowded area before finding Silva for a close-range finish. Despite heated discussions on the field regarding a potential handball, the goal was allowed to stand.
City maintained their dominance throughout the first half, applying continuous pressure on a defensive Al-Hilal. They recorded nine shots, seven of which were on target, reflecting a high expected goals figure of 2.08. Nevertheless, Al-Hilal`s goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, delivered a stellar performance, making six crucial saves before the halftime whistle to keep his team in contention.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the second half. Within moments of the restart, Al-Hilal found their equalizer via Marcos Leonardo. Following a cross into the box by Joao Cancelo, Ederson got a touch, but the ball scrambled in the penalty area before landing at Leonardo`s feet, whose soft header surprisingly beat the City keeper.
Just six minutes later, Al-Hilal completed their comeback to take the lead for the first time. Executing a swift counter-attack, Cancelo passed to Malcom, who drove towards goal before calmly slotting the ball into the net from distance.
This lead proved temporary. Erling Haaland quickly pulled City level just three minutes later. From a corner kick, the ball didn`t land directly for Haaland, but the Norwegian striker reacted smartly amidst the goalmouth scramble, securing a close-range finish to tie the game at 2-2.
With the score locked after 90 minutes, the match went into extra time, where the intensity escalated further. Al-Hilal struck first in the 94th minute, with Kalidou Koulibaly heading in from a corner to regain the lead at 3-2. City responded ten minutes later, thanks to substitute Phil Foden, who expertly finished after receiving a superb cross from Rayan Cherki, making it 3-3.
The deciding goal in this back-and-forth encounter came eight minutes before the final whistle. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic`s header was initially saved by Ederson, but the rebound went straight back into play. While falling, Marcos Leonardo managed to get the final touch on the ball, redirecting it past the diving Ederson and into the back of the net to secure the 4-3 victory for Al-Hilal.
Match statistics showed City`s statistical dominance, with 30 shots compared to Al-Hilal`s 17, and 14 shots on target versus 7. City also had a higher expected goals tally (4.21 to 3.16). However, Yassine Bounou`s outstanding goalkeeping, making 11 saves in total, combined with City`s defensive frailties, proved decisive. This defeat marks the first time since Pep Guardiola`s arrival in 2016 that Manchester City will end a season without winning a trophy.
For Al-Hilal, this result is a landmark achievement for Saudi Arabian football, highlighting the impact of significant investments by the Public Investment Fund. Despite not securing some targeted high-profile players for the tournament, they appointed manager Simone Inzaghi shortly before the competition. Notably, Inzaghi`s tactical approach got the better of Pep Guardiola, two years after City defeated his Inter Milan side in the UEFA Champions League final.
Al-Hilal will now advance to face Fluminense, who also caused an upset by defeating Inter 2-0, in the quarterfinals scheduled for Friday in Orlando.
