In a night destined for the history books, Saudi giants Al Hilal pulled off a sensational upset by eliminating reigning European champions Manchester City from the FIFA Club World Cup, with a 4-3 victory after extra time.
Despite going behind early, Al Hilal clawed back and eventually triumphed thanks to a brilliant brace from Marcos Leonardo, stunning Pep Guardiola’s side and sending the home fans into delirium.
Manchester City dominated possession early and were rewarded in the 9th minute when Bernardo Silva slotted home a clever pass from Ilkay Gündogan, giving the Premier League champions a deserved lead. City looked in control, with Joško Gvardiol and Matheus Nunes both going close to doubling their advantage. But Al Hilal held firm and went into the break only one goal behind — a warning sign City would later regret ignoring.
Whatever was said in the Al Hilal dressing room worked wonders. Within a minute of the restart, Marcos Leonardo pounced on a rebound to level the score at 1-1. Five minutes later, Malcom stunned the City defense with a composed finish after a slick pass from João Cancelo, flipping the match on its head. City responded quickly. In the 53rd minute, a flurry of changes from Guardiola was capped off by Rodri’s close-range finish to bring it to 2-2. Erling Haaland nearly restored City’s lead moments later but was denied by a stunning save. In the 64th minute, Kaio César came off the bench to put Al Hilal ahead again, only for City to equalize in extra time.
City surged forward and were rewarded when Phil Foden struck twice — first in the 100th minute, then again just four minutes later — both times showcasing his clinical finishing and composure under pressure. But Al Hilal had not read the script.
In the 112th minute, Marcos Leonardo delivered a moment of magic, curling in from the edge of the box to level it at 3-3. Just a minute later, he completed his brace with a stunning solo effort, giving Al Hilal the lead once again. City tried to respond, but Manuel Akanji’s frustration boiled over in added time, and Al Hilal held their nerve. A late substitution saw Khalifah Al Ghannam come on to a standing ovation, replacing the hero of the night, Marcos Leonardo.
Goals:
• Bernardo Silva (9’) [MCI]
• Marcos Leonardo (46’, 112’, 113’) [ALH]
• Malcom (52’) [ALH]
• Rodri (53’), Foden (100’, 104’) [MCI]
• Kaio Cesar (64’) [ALH]
Yellow Cards:
• Manuel Akanji (105+1’) [MCI]
Al Hilal Coach:
“This is a proud day for Saudi football. We showed heart, belief, and brilliance.”
Pep Guardiola:
“We lost control. Credit to Al Hilal — they punished our mistakes. They deserved it.”
Al Hilal now march into the Club World Cup final, while Manchester City are left to reflect on a shocking exit in a tournament they were tipped to win.
Football, bloody hell.
