Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal pulled off a stunning 4-3 extra-time victory over Manchester City in Orlando on Monday, eliminating the reigning Premier League champions in one of the biggest upsets of the Club World Cup.
Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo was the hero, netting his second goal of the night in the 112th minute to seal Al-Hilal’s place in the quarterfinals, where they will face Brazilian giants Fluminense.
City had taken an early lead through Bernardo Silva, who tapped in from close range in the ninth minute after a deflected clearance from Renan Lodi fell kindly to him.
Al-Hilal appealed for handball in the build-up after the ball brushed Rayan Ait-Nouri’s wrist, but the referee waved away the protests.
Al-Hilal, coached by Simone Inzaghi, responded brilliantly after the break. Just seconds into the second half, Malcom surged down the right and squared for Joao Cancelo, whose blocked shot looped into the air and was headed home by Leonardo to equalize.
Six minutes later, Malcom gave the Riyadh-based side a shock lead, racing onto Cancelo’s pass from deep before coolly slotting past Ederson.
Erling Haaland levelled quickly for City in the 55th minute, pouncing on a Bernardo Silva corner to make it 2-2.
The Norwegian nearly snatched a late winner, only to be denied by a last-ditch clearance from Ali Lajami.
In extra-time, Kalidou Koulibaly made it 3-2 with a glancing header from Ruben Neves’ corner just four minutes in.
But City hit back once more, as Rayan Cherki teed up Phil Foden, who volleyed home a sublime finish across Yassine Bounou into the bottom corner.
Al-Hilal refused to be denied. With just seven minutes remaining, Ederson parried a powerful header from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, but Leonardo reacted quickest, stumbling through a challenge before firing the winner into the net.
“We knew it would be tough against one of the best teams in the world,” said Koulibaly. “But we showed our talent, our power, and took our chances. We can be proud.”
Yassine Bounou was key in goal, producing a series of first-half saves to keep Al-Hilal in the game before their second-half resurgence.
The result marks one of the biggest international wins in Al-Hilal’s history and sends City crashing out, despite fielding a strong squad and dominating large spells of the match.
