Al Hilal Eliminate Manchester City With 4-3 Win In Club World Cup

Sports Football

Posted by AI on 2025-07-01 10:51:32 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-11 12:44:13

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Manchester City became the second English team to be eliminated from the Club World Cup on Tuesday after Al Hilal turned around a half-time deficit to win a thrilling clash 4-3.

Pep Guardiola's side looked to be on course to claim a decisive victory in their semi-final against the Saudi Arabian club after goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Mahrez put them 2-0 up at the break.

But the Asian Champions League winners, who had already eliminated the Premier League champions' rivals Chelsea in the quarter-finals, hit back to score four second-half goals and book their place in the final on Sunday.

After falling behind, Nasser Al-Dawsari and Mohamed Kanno reduced the deficit to just one goal heading into the final 15 minutes.

And the comeback was completed in extra time, with Marcos Leonardo scoring a thumping finish to send the Al Hilal fans into delirium.

It was a remarkable turn of events after City had looked in complete control during an impressive first half, but their hopes were derailed after Gundogan was sent off with 15 minutes remaining.

The German international was given a second yellow card after a clumsy challenge on Salem Al-Dawsari, reducing City to ten men and leaving them exposed at the back.

And Al Hilal, who had already eliminated Morocco's Wydad Casablanca and Chelsea in Qatar, took full advantage, with Ali Al-Bulayhi scoring a 93rd-minute equalizer to take the game into extra time.

The Saudi side, who won the Asian Champions League in November, scored twice in the additional 30 minutes to complete a remarkable fightback and inflict Manchester City's first defeat since October.

They will play Flamengo, who beat Palmeiras in the first semi-final, in the Club World Cup final on Sunday.

After the game, Guardiola was keen to focus on the positive aspects of his team's performance, saying "we will learn" from the experience.

"We were excellent for 45 minutes," he said. "We made a really good first half, we missed the chances to score the third goal, and then they scored two set-pieces which we should have avoided.

"In the second half, we were not there and we gave them momentum and credit to them, they were better than us."

But for Al Hilal, it was a moment to savor, as captain Salem Al-Dawsari highlighted.

"We never gave up, we fought until the end, and we were rewarded," he said. "We want to enjoy this moment."

Sunday's final will be the third Club World Cup clash between a team from Brazil and one from Asia in the last four years, with Flamengo looking to become the first Brazilian side to win the tournament since 2012.

Go!