Al Hilal Stuns Manchester City 4-3 in Club World Cup's Most Thrilling Encounter Yet
Al Hilal stunned Manchester City in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16, delivering one of the tournament's most shocking results. This surprise victory came after another major upset earlier when Fluminense knocked out Inter Milan.
Manchester City controlled the opening period following Bernardo Silva's early goal. They restricted Al Hilal to limited opportunities in the first 45 minutes, but the second half told a completely different story. Marcos Leonardo and Malcom found the net while Erling Haaland kept the Citizens alive to push the match into extra time. Six additional goals during the extended period, with both teams exchanging strikes, created one of the summer's most thrilling encounters.
Leonardo's strike in the 112th minute proved decisive as Simone Inzaghi's squad completed the remarkable upset. This victory offered some redemption for Inzaghi following his Champions League final defeat to Guardiola in 2023, while confidence grows within Al Hilal that they can mount a serious challenge in this competition. Fluminense stands as their next opponent, though they'll savor this triumph before focusing on the quarterfinal clash.
This Club World Cup classic is now complete, but anticipation continues mounting as the tournament approaches its crucial phases.
Key observations from the match are outlined below.
A Classic Manchester City Display in the Opening Half
While the complete narrative reveals something entirely different, Manchester City's first-half performance was thoroughly commanding. It represented a classic display from a Pep Guardiola team as they systematically controlled possession and patiently waited for opportunities with each touch. The ball moved to wide areas and back again as Savinho and Jeremy Doku searched for the decisive pass. They appeared comfortable... until after the break.
Had the Manchester City from the first half continued their form, their favorite status would have been confirmed. However, the second half and overtime painted a contrasting picture. The City team that appeared for most of the evening differed from what supporters witnessed during last season's Premier League and Champions League campaigns. Their inability to maintain control throughout the match ultimately proved costly.
Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri appear among the summer's finest acquisitions, alongside Rayan Cherki's impact as a substitute.
Phil Foden Has Returned
Phil Foden struggled to find his form last season. With a goal drought and inconsistent starting appearances, he rarely displayed his peak performance. This summer? He emerged as a tournament player of the year candidate had they progressed.
Foden's strike late in the first extra-time period was crucial and demonstrated his technical prowess. Regarding City's summer transfers, Foden's resurgence might become the season's biggest development. This is especially significant following Kevin De Bruyne's exit. Whether Guardiola chooses to deploy him in the central playmaker position or utilize him on the wings where he can be devastating, Foden could be instrumental in Manchester City's championship pursuit.
A Perfect Opportunity for the Semifinals
What a chance presents itself for Al Hilal and Simone Inzaghi in just his opening month as manager. Al Hilal certainly weren't expected to win this encounter, but those who dismissed them overlooked their impressive showing against Real Madrid during the group phase.
Having eliminated one of the competition's top contenders, Al Hilal now meets underdog story Fluminense. While neutral observers might have hoped to see Inzaghi face his former team, he can relax those concerns thanks to El Flu.
They now possess the confidence after overcoming Manchester City. The Al Hilal versus Fluminense matchup promises to be among the tournament's most captivating games as two unlikely semifinalists compete for a place in the final four.