Al Hilal, a club from Saudi Arabia and represent of Asia reached to Quarter-Final after beating Manchester City, a club from England scoring 4-3 after extra-time period in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Round of 16 at Camping World Stadium, Orlando.
Facing a star-studded City side, Al Hilal proved that passion, resilience, and clinical finishing can defy even the heaviest of odds. The result marks one of Asia’s greatest triumphs in Club World Cup history and sends a resounding message to the rest of the competition.
Manchester City struck first blood when Bernardo Silva pounced on a loose ball to open the scoring. The Premier League champions almost doubled their lead moments later, but Yassine Bounou, Al Hilal’s goalkeeper, made a sensational stop while on the ground to deny Savinho.
However, the second half exploded into life. Marcos Leonardo brought Al Hilal level before Malcom fired the Saudi champions ahead in rapid succession, turning the tie on its head. Erling Haaland responded with a powerful header to make it 2-2, setting the stage for a frantic finish.
Drama ensued when Malcom was brought down in the box, leading to a penalty being awarded — only for VAR to reverse the decision due to an offside in the buildup.
City launched wave after wave of attacks, but Bounou delivered a goalkeeping masterclass, keeping the English side at bay. When Haaland seemed to have sealed a late winner, Ali Lajami made a miraculous goal-line clearance to preserve the draw.
Al Hilal roared back early in extra time as Kalidou Koulibaly rose highest to nod in Ruben Neves’ corner and restore the Saudi side’s lead. Yet, Phil Foden, off the bench, calmly slotted home to make it 3-3.
Just as penalties loomed, Ederson denied Sergej Milinkovic-Savic with a spectacular save, but the rebound fell kindly to Marcos Leonardo, who bundled home his second of the night—sealing an unforgettable 4-3 victory.
Credit Photo : Al Hilal
