Defending champions Manchester City crashed out of the FIFA Club World Cup in dramatic fashion, falling 4-3 to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in a pulsating round-of-16 encounter in Orlando.

Pep Guardiola’s men, unbeaten in the group stage, were undone by a chaotic defensive performance that saw them concede four goals, including two in extra time. 

Despite taking an early lead for the fourth consecutive match—this time through Bernardo Silva’s close-range finish in the ninth minute—City failed to maintain control.

Controversy surrounded the opener, as Al-Hilal players protested a suspected handball by Rayan Ait-Nouri in the build-up. 

City continued to press, but goalkeeper Bono produced a string of superb saves to deny Savinho, Ilkay Gundogan, and Josko Gvardiol.

Al-Hilal, largely subdued in the first half, struck back just 44 seconds after the restart. Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo nodded in the equaliser before former Barcelona winger Malcom calmly slotted home to give the Saudi side a shock 2-1 lead in the 52nd minute.

City responded swiftly, with Erling Haaland poking in from a corner to level the score at 2-2. The Premier League giants came agonisingly close to a winner in regulation, as Manuel Akanji’s header struck the post and Haaland’s rebound was heroically cleared off the line by Ali Lajami.

Extra time brought more drama. Kalidou Koulibaly, once of Chelsea, powered in a header in the 94th minute to restore Al-Hilal’s lead, only for substitute Phil Foden to volley home from a tight angle ten minutes later.

But it was Marcos Leonardo who had the final say, tapping in at the back post in the 112th minute to seal a historic victory for the 2021 AFC Champions League winners and send Al-Hilal into the quarter-finals.

Source: BBC

SMS/