Big surprise at the club World Cup: The Saudi association Al-Hilal switches off Manchester City in the round of 16. For Pep Guardiola, the season ends without title.
The Spanish starting coach briefly congratulated his overjoyed colleague Simone Inzaghi, then he fled catacombs. “It’s really a shame, we were so well positioned,” said the disappointed Guardiola.
The blatant outsider from the Saudi capital Riad defeated Guardiola’s stare ensemble around goal scorer Erling Haaland in Orlando surprisingly with 4: 3 (2: 2, 0: 1) after extension. “I have the feeling that the team is playing well, but we’re going home, and now it’s time to rest, recharge your batteries and come back next season,” said Guardiola and found: “We allowed them to create switching moments, but we have created a lot ourselves and were good overall.”
Leonardo decides game with his second goal
But Al-Hilals outstanding attacker Marcos Leonardo became a match winner with his second goal in the 112nd minute of the game. Previously, substitute Phil Foden (104th) had even balanced the first lead of Al-Hilal in the extension by Kalidou Koulibaly (94.).
“We wanted to show our skills against one of the best teams in the world,” said the 34-year-old Coulibaly, who, like many Hilal professionals used to play in Europe, in England for Chelsea: “We wanted to show that Al-Hilal had a lot of talent and that we rightly be here at the club World Cup.”
Al-Hilal now meets in the quarterfinals on Fluminense from Brazil, which defeated the Champions League finalist Inter Milan 2-0 hours earlier.
Al-Hilal turns behind quickly after the break
In the regular season, Bernardo Silva (9th) and Haaland (55th) met for the mancity clearly dominated in the first half. Marcos Leonardo (46th) and Malcom (52nd), however, turned the game in just seven minutes after the break.
Goalkeeper Bono had previously held Al-Hilal in the game. The Moroccan held splendidly, once against the former DFB captain Ilkay Gündogan (29th).
Al-Hilal’s victory is also the work of the new trainer Simone Inzaghi, who was switched to Saudi Arabia after the 0: 5 with Inter Milan in the final of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain.
Inzaghi remains the chance of a title after changing interfer
Inzaghi had been pushed by SSC Naples from first place shortly before the end of the season in Serie A. This was followed by the bitterness in the European premier class, after that had come out prematurely in the national trophy.
In contrast to his colleague Guardiola, he has the chance to win another title in the long season.