Manchester City stunned by Al Hilal in seven-goal thriller, crashing out of Club World Cup.
Guardiola’s men concede four, despite Haaland’s strike and late drama from Phil Foden.
Manchester City’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign came to a crashing halt after a shocking 4-3 extra-time loss to Saudi Arabian champions Al Hilal in the Round of 16. Despite a spirited performance from Erling Haaland, who netted his 301st career goal, Pep Guardiola’s men were undone by defensive frailty and clinical finishing from the Saudi Pro League side.
City started brightly, taking the lead inside 10 minutes through Bernardo Silva. The goal came under controversial circumstances, with two handball claims waved off by the referee. Still, Silva converted from close range to give City early momentum. But Al Hilal, led by new manager Simone Inzaghi, stuck to a counter-attacking strategy and gradually grew into the game.
Though missing star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, the Saudis equalized early in the second half when Marcos Leonardo capitalized on a defensive lapse. Moments later, Malcolm sliced through the City defence and put Al Hilal ahead with a fine finish past Ederson.
Haaland responded for City by smashing in a rebound to level the score at 2-2, and the contest continued at a frantic pace. Both teams squandered chances to win it in regulation, with Jeremy Doku heading wide and Haaland denied by a goal-line clearance.
In extra time, Kalidou Koulibaly rose highest to nod in Al Hilal’s third, but Phil Foden equalized minutes later with a clever finish off Rayan Cherki’s cross. However, Leonardo had the final say, netting his second of the night in the 112th minute to seal a dramatic upset and send Manchester City packing.
Goalkeeper & Defense:
- Ederson (6/10): Couldn’t be faulted for the goals; showcased trademark passing range.
- Matheus Nunes (5/10): Struggled as an improvised right-back; exposed repeatedly.
- Ruben Dias (7/10): One key intervention saved a certain goal; otherwise solid.
- Josko Gvardiol (5/10): Uncomfortable on the left; subbed off early in the second half.
- Rayan Ait-Nouri (5/10): Involved going forward but overwhelmed defensively.
Midfield:
- Ilkay Gundogan (5/10): Controlled possession but offered little resistance defensively.
- Tijjani Reijnders (8/10): City’s best player; dominated midfield and assisted Silva’s goal.
- Bernardo Silva (6/10): Scored the opener but faded physically as the game wore on.
Attack:
- Savinho (5/10): Struggled to make an impact; lacked decisiveness in attack.
- Erling Haaland (7/10): Quiet in the first half, then sparked to life with a poacher’s goal and came close to a brace.
- Jeremy Doku (6/10): Threatened with his pace but lacked final product in key moments.
Substitutes & Manager:
- Rodri (5/10): Surprisingly benched; brought some calm but was withdrawn when needed most.
- Nathan Ake (5/10): Failed to track Koulibaly for Al Hilal’s third.
- Manuel Akanji (6/10): Almost scored; tidy in possession.
- Omar Marmoush (5/10): Added energy but couldn’t impact the game.
- Rayan Cherki (7/10): Assisted Foden; lively presence late on.
- Phil Foden (6/10): Took his goal well; limited time to make more of an impact.
- Pep Guardiola (4/10): His tactics failed to manage Al Hilal’s counters; questionable substitutions proved costly.
The defeat marks a rare early exit for City in an international tournament, and a historic result for Al Hilal, who now progress to the next round with momentum and belief. For Pep Guardiola, questions will be asked about tactical choices and team balance in a match that slipped from his grip in extra time.
