Club World Cup: 4: 3 sensation: Al-Hilal shocked ManCity and Guardiola

Pep Guardiola briefly congratulated his overjoyed coaching colleague Simone Inzaghi on the sensation victory, then the Spanish star coach from Manchester City fled into the stadium catacombs. “It is really a shame, we were so well positioned,” said the disappointed Guardiola, who spoke of a “difficult game”, later. The blatant outsider Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia caused a real sensation in the round of 16 at the Club World Cup in the USA in a gripping football thriller.

The team from the capital Riad defeated Guardiola’s starring ensemble around goal scorer Erling Haaland in Orlando surprisingly with 4: 3 (2: 2, 0: 1) after extra time. “I have the feeling that the team is playing well, but we’re going home, and now it’s time to rest, recharge your batteries and come back next season,” said Guardiola and found: “We allowed them to create switching moments, but we have created a lot ourselves and were good overall.”

But Al-Hilals outstanding attacker Marcos Leonardo became a match winner with his second goal in the 112nd minute of the game. Previously, substitute Phil Foden (104th) was able to equalize the first lead of Al-Hilal in the extension by Kalidou Koulibaly (94.). The Camping World Stadium was bubbling, the spectators were enthusiastic.

“We are rightly at the World Cup”

“We wanted to show our skills against one of the best teams in the world,” said the 34-year-old Coulibaly, who, like many Hilal professionals used to play in Europe, in England for Chelsea: “We wanted to show that Al-Hilal had a lot of talent and that we rightly be here at the club World Cup.” It was a big day for Saudi football.

Al-Hilal now meets in the quarterfinals on Fluminense from Brazil, who was able to defeat the Champions League finalist Inter Milan 2-0 on the big day of the outsiders.

Inzaghi has only been a coach of Al-Hilal for a few weeks

In the regular season, Bernardo Silva (9th) and Haaland (55th) met for the mancity clearly dominated in the first half. Marcos Leonardo (46th) and Malcom (52nd), however, turned the game in just seven minutes after the break. Goalkeeper Bono had previously kept Hilal in the game. The Moroccan held splendidly, once against the former DFB captain Ilkay Gündogan (29th).

Al-Hilal’s victory is also the work of the new coach Simone Inzaghi, who was switched to Saudi Arabia after the 0: 5 with Inter Milan in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. The 49-year-old Italian surprisingly does not meet his ex-club in the next round, but fluminense. So an outsider will surely be in the semi -finals.