Manchester City's Club World Cup Dream Crumbles Against Al-Hilal
No one saw this coming. Manchester City—favorites to go all the way—were sent packing from the Club World Cup after Al-Hilal pulled off one of the wildest upsets in recent tournament history. The Saudi Arabian side scored a late 4-3 extra-time win that left Pep Guardiola fuming and their own support in total disbelief.
This match had everything: early goals, controversy, wild swings, and a surprise hero. City looked set for business as usual when Bernardo Silva struck early. His goal in the ninth minute should have settled nerves, but the buildup left fans and pundits arguing as replays suggested handball by both Rayan Ait-Nouri and Ilkay Gundogan. The referee waved play on, and Silva finished, but the muttering didn't stop there.
Instead of using that lead as a springboard, City got sloppy. Chance after chance went wide or straight at Al-Hilal's keeper. The sight of Erling Haaland blasting over from close range summed up their first-half wastefulness. Al-Hilal, meanwhile, were content to soak up pressure and hit on the break. Every time City lost the ball, they looked vulnerable, with the blue shirts sprinting desperately to get back.
The second half turned the tables. Marcos Leonardo, the man everyone was soon talking about, leveled early in the half. City seemed rattled. Malcom pounced soon after, suddenly putting Al-Hilal ahead and silencing their Premier League rivals. Guardiola raged on the sidelines, gesturing for more urgency, but City kept missing.
Just when it seemed the game might get away from them, Haaland finally found his touch, drilling a late goal that kept City's hopes alive and pushed the tie into extra time. But the drama was only just heating up. Kalidou Koulibaly restored Al-Hilal's advantage, only for Phil Foden to produce a slick equalizer that brought the stadium to its feet again. With the minutes draining away, Leonardo capped his perfect night in the 112th—sprinting onto a through ball and slotting past Ederson to send the Saudi fans into a frenzy.
City threw everyone forward in the dying moments, searching for another equalizer. It never came. Al-Hilal held on through a storm of corners and blocked shots. Guardiola walked off with a face like thunder, barely acknowledging the press. His team will look back and know the fault was theirs. They dominated possession and chances, but wasted too much and paid the price for every defensive slip.
For Al-Hilal, this win is huge. They now face Fluminense in the quarterfinals and will believe anything’s possible after knocking out a European powerhouse. Their fans, waving flags and singing late into the Orlando night, made sure their players knew they'd just pulled off something special.
Wasteful City, Ruthless Al-Hilal: The Key Moments
- Manchester City grabbed an early lead but couldn't find a killer second goal before Al-Hilal's comeback.
- The handball controversy in City’s opener left a bitter taste, but the officials stuck to their call.
- Marcos Leonardo’s two goals, including the extra-time winner, turned him into the hero of the hour.
- Defensive lapses haunted City throughout, with each Al-Hilal counterattack carrying real threat.
- Despite late fireworks from Foden and Haaland, City’s usually clinical attack fell short when it mattered.
No English team likes leaving a big competition at this stage, especially as favorites. For City, this one will sting a long time. As Al-Hilal plans for Fluminense, Guardiola and his men are heading home, forced to watch the rest of the Club World Cup from the sidelines.
