ORLANDO, Fla. — In a high-energy contest on Monday night at Camping World Stadium, Al Hilal emerged victorious over Manchester City with a nail-biting 4-3 win, knocking the English club out of the Club World Cup in the round of 16. The pivotal moment came in the 112th minute when Marcos Leonardo scored a decisive goal on a rebound, leaving fans in awe.
The match was a true rollercoaster ride with both teams trading leads and equalizing multiple times. Al Hilal, the Saudi Arabian team, first grabbed the lead through Kalidou Koulibaly in the 94th minute, only for Phil Foden, who had just entered play moments before, to bring Manchester City level at 3-3 in the 104th minute.
Marcos Leonardo delivered the crucial blow to Man City’s hopes by capitalizing on a deflected save by keeper Ederson. A header from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was blocked, but Leonardo swiftly reacted, redirecting the ball into the net while falling, sealing the victory near the left post.
With this triumph, Al Hilal advances to the next stage where they will face off against Fluminense, following the latter’s victory over Inter Milan earlier on the same day.
The match opener came from Bernardo Silva, giving Manchester City the first advantage in the ninth minute. Al Hilal’s Malcom responded in the 52nd, putting them ahead until Erling Haaland equalized at 2-2 in the 55th minute.
An impressive crowd of 42,311 football enthusiasts filled the stadium, witnessing this dramatic contest in a venue that can hold up to 60,219 spectators.
In a remarkable end to regulation, Manchester City had a chance to clinch victory with a last-second counterattack, but the effort was halted by a determined challenge. No penalty was awarded, prompting an animated protest from Man City’s manager Pep Guardiola, who stormed onto the pitch to dispute the call.
Looking forward, Al Hilal will meet Fluminense on July 4th at the same location to vie for a place in the semifinals.
Post-match reactions were heartfelt. Al Hilal’s coach, Simone Inzaghi, expressed his delight, saying, “We defeated a very, very strong team. That looked impossible yesterday.” In contrast, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola remarked, “It’s a pity… Nothing to say. We’ll have to continue. I still have the feeling this team is doing well. We’ll go home and have time to rest.”