Al Hilal pulled off the unthinkable knocking out Manchester City in extra time of a dramatic Club World Cup Round of 16 clash!

 

While the world slept, Al Hilal pulled off the unthinkable knocking out Manchester City in extra time of a dramatic Club World Cup Round of 16 clash! Final score: Man City 3 - 4 Al Hilal Manchester City were eliminated from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after suffering a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in extra time. Played in Orlando, this last-16 clash saw Pep Guardiola’s team stunned by a clinical and fearless Al Hilal side. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for City early on, but Al Hilal roared back in the second half with goals from Marcos Leonardo and former Barcelona winger Malcom. City had multiple chances to kill the game but were wasteful in front of goal. Erling Haaland equalized to force extra time, and after Kalidou Koulibaly’s powerful header restored Al Hilal’s lead, Phil Foden once again leveled the score. Yet, in the 112th minute, Leonardo struck again to hand Al Hilal a stunning victory. City’s defense was repeatedly exposed on the counterattack, and the result ended their hopes of an all-English semifinal against Chelsea. Al Hilal will now face Brazilian side Fluminense in the quarter-finals. Fluminense themselves pulled off an upset by defeating Inter Milan. Meanwhile, Chelsea face Palmeiras in the other quarter-final matchup. The elimination marks a significant blow to Manchester City, who entered the tournament as one of the favorites but were undone by poor finishing and defensive lapses.

While Al Hilal’s forwards got the goals, the real hero of the night was their goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. The Moroccan international delivered a historic performance with 10 saves, the highest in a single match at the 2025 Club World Cup. His remarkable reflexes denied City time and time again, frustrating Haaland, Foden, and others who found the net just three times despite dominating possession and shots. Across four matches, Bounou now leads the tournament with 23 saves, solidifying his place as arguably the competition’s standout player so far. His composure and quick reactions were crucial in moments when City looked set to turn the match around. Opta stats revealed that Al Hilal’s four goals equaled the total conceded by all of Guardiola’s teams across his previous eleven Club World Cup matches underlining just how rare and shocking this result is. Marcos Leonardo’s brace and the solid defensive line marshaled by Kalidou Koulibaly were vital, but Bounou’s heroics were what truly kept Al Hilal alive under intense pressure. As fans celebrated the shock result around the world, social media exploded with praise for Bounou and the spirit of Al Hilal. Their reward is a mouthwatering quarter-final against Fluminense, with the Saudi club now dreaming of going all the way. For City, the early exit is a wake-up call and a rare moment of vulnerability on the world stage.

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