Al Hilal eliminates Manchester City in an unforgettable duel and advances to the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup
Comeback, extra time and Marcos Leonardo double mark a historic day for Saudi football
The 2025 Club World Cup continues to provide surprises, and this time the victim was one of the favorites for the title. Al Hilal, managed by Italian Simone Inzaghi, staged an epic comeback by beating Manchester City 4-3 in extra time at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
The victory qualified the Saudis for the quarter-finals, where they will face Fluminense on July 4.
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Goals from Marcos Leonardo (2), Malcom and Kalidou Koulibaly allowed Al Hilal to make history against a City that, despite dominating much of the match, was unable to close out the score and ended up paying dearly for its defensive errors.
Bono, a silent figure; Marcos Leonardo, the hero
City started strongly. Barely 9 minutes in, Bernardo Silva opened the scoring after a confusing play in the area. Everything pointed to another night of English dominance, with Doku, Gundogan, and Savinho creating constant danger. But then Yassine Bono emerged. The Moroccan goalkeeper emerged as a key figure with several key saves, including a miraculous save from a Savinho dribble.
The break came with England ahead, but Al Hilal returned with a different mentality. In the 46th minute, Marcos Leonardo equalized with a precise header. Shortly after, Malcom capitalized on a counterattack to put the Saudis ahead. Although Haaland equalized again in the 55th, Inzaghi's team had already shown they could compete on equal terms.
Regular time ended 2-2, and the best of the match came in extra time. Koulibaly scored the third with a header, Foden equalised for City, and finally Marcos Leonardo, in the 116th minute, made it 4-3 after a great team move.
Guardiola: “Now it’s time to rest”
In the press conference afterwards, Pep Guardiola recognised his rival’s merits: “I wasn’t surprised by Al Hilal, they have very fast players, they defended well and ran more than us,” he commented. He added that City had plenty of chances, but they failed to convert them. Regarding what's next, he was clear: "It's time to rest and think about the new season."