The beautiful game delivered one of its most stunning upsets on Monday as Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal staged a remarkable comeback to send English titans Manchester City crashing out of the FIFA Club World Cup. In a breathtaking encounter that stretched into extra time, Al Hilal secured a dramatic 4-3 victory, writing a new chapter in Middle Eastern football history and ensuring a non-European team a spot in the last four of the prestigious tournament.
The match, played under floodlights, was a rollercoaster of emotions and tactical battles. Manchester City, widely considered one of the strongest clubs in Europe, started as heavy favorites and took an early lead in the ninth minute through Bernardo Silva. However, controversy quickly marred the opener, with Al Hilal players protesting that Rayan Ait-Nouri had controlled the ball with his arm in the build-up. Despite their vehement appeals, the goal stood, setting an early contentious tone.
City had ample opportunities to extend their lead before the break. Wave after wave of attack crashed against a determined Al Hilal defense and, crucially, an inspired performance from Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Time and again, Bounou pulled off crucial saves, denying clear-cut chances from Jeremy Doku and Bernardo Silva, keeping the scoreline at a manageable 1-0. Al Hilal, meanwhile, offered tantalizing glimpses of their threat on the counter, hinting at the firepower they possessed.
The question of whether City would rue their profligacy was answered emphatically within a minute of the second half's resumption. Former City full-back Joao Cancelo's low cross was parried by Ederson, and a scramble ensued. Malcolm pounced, saw his shot blocked by Ruben Dias, but the ball fortuitously looped to Marcos Leonardo, who headed home the equalizer.
Six minutes later, the Saudi fans erupted again. City's notoriously high defensive line was exposed by another long ball from Cancelo. Brazilian forward Malcolm showcased a sublime combination of power and pace, breaking away from the City defense before calmly slotting the ball past Ederson, putting Al Hilal astonishingly in the lead.
Stunned by the quickfire double, Pep Guardiola, City's esteemed manager, responded immediately with a triple substitution, introducing midfield anchor Rodri and defenders Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji. These changes brought much-needed stability to a shaky backline. City also needed to rediscover their attacking prowess, and it came, albeit in scruffy circumstances. The Al Hilal defense struggled to clear a Bernardo corner, and Erling Haaland, City's prolific striker, pounced on the loose ball to steer it home, leveling the score at 2-2.
City then piled on the pressure, desperately seeking a winner in regular time. Yet again, Yassine Bounou proved their nemesis, denying point-blank efforts from Akanji and Ruben Dias. Even when Bounou was beaten by a Haaland strike, substitute Ali Lajami produced a magnificent goal-line clearance, highlighting Al Hilal's incredible resolve. As the game headed into extra time, Guardiola replaced Haaland with Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush, hoping for a fresh attacking impetus.
Despite City's deep bench, Al Hilal seemed to possess an even deeper well of spirit. Just four minutes into the opening period of extra time, the Saudi side regained the lead. Kalidou Koulibaly rose superbly to meet a Ruben Neves corner with a brilliantly angled header that left Ederson with no chance.
City, however, refused to yield. They responded with a goal of real quality when Rayan Cherki's brilliantly floated ball towards the back post was masterfully poked home by Phil Foden, at full stretch and from the tightest of angles, making it 3-3.
But in an incredible display of resilience and determination, Al Hilal responded again to restore their lead. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's header was saved by Ederson, but Marcos Leonardo, the Brazilian striker, followed in to bundle the ball over the line, completing his brace and snatching the winner for Al Hilal.
As the ecstatic Al Hilal fans poured out of the stadium, Marcos Leonardo let his emotions pour out, revealing a personal struggle that fueled his performance. "I’ve had a difficult time in the last two months. My mother spent 70 days in the ICU," he shared. "Today she’s fine, thank God. When I scored those two goals, I thought of her. She was able to watch the match."
City skipper Bernardo Silva lamented his team's inability to control Al Hilal’s devastating counter-attacks. "We scored three and could’ve scored five, six. It was all about controlling when we lost the ball, controlling the transitions, don’t let them run, and they ran way too many times,” he admitted. “With one, two passes there was always a feeling of danger coming from them. When we allow teams to run like this we always suffer a lot, and today was the case.”
