Ready for the football shock of the year? Saudi vice-champion Al Hilal has pulled off a massive upset at the Club World Cup! In a match that will be talked about for ages, Al Hilal defeated the mighty Manchester City 4-3 after extra time to reach the quarterfinals. Yes, you read that right — 4-3! The regular time ended 2-2, and then came the drama in extra time when Kalidu Koulibaly headed the winning goal in the 94th minute.
Manchester City took an early lead with Bernardo Silva scoring in the 9th minute, but Al Hilal refused to back down. Marcos Leonardo and Malcom turned the game around with goals in the 46th and 52nd minutes, only for Haaland to equalize for City in the 55th. Foden gave City hope again with a goal in the 93rd minute, but luck and determination were on Al Hilal’s side.
Al Hilal’s coach, Simone Inzaghi, who took over the team in early June, said the key to victory was the players’ heart and great organization. “We had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen to beat City,” Inzaghi said, referring to the strength of the English team.
But the drama didn’t stop there! In the 97th minute, the referee didn’t call a clear foul on a Manchester City player, sparking the fury of coach Pep Guardiola. Guardiola reacted angrily, asking “Are you kidding me?” while the referee simply blew the whistle to end the half and send the teams into extra time.
Al Hilal will face Brazilian Fluense in the quarterfinals, who beat Inter Milan 2-0. This win by Al Hilal might be the biggest shock of the tournament so far and proves that in football, anything can happen.
If you thought Manchester City was unbeatable, Al Hilal just proved otherwise. What do you think about this upset? Did the referee ruin the game or did Al Hilal deserve the win? Drop your thoughts and keep the conversation rolling!
