Al Hilal produced one of the Club World Cup’s most dramatic upsets, edging out Manchester City 4-3 after extra time in a pulsating contest in Orlando to book a quarter-final showdown with Fluminense.
The Saudi side showed no fear against the reigning European champions, with Marcos Leonardo’s 112th-minute winner capping a night of daring football and dogged resilience. It was Leonardo’s second of the evening, sealing a famous victory just as City looked set to take it to penalties.
City had drawn first blood early through Bernardo Silva, who tapped in from close range after a defensive mix-up. But Al Hilal roared back after the break, with Leonardo equalising and Malcom quickly adding a second to stun the Premier League giants.
Erling Haaland responded with his trademark power, heading home from a corner to level at 2-2. Yet every time City struck, Al Hilal answered, with Kalidou Koulibaly rising to nod in a corner early in extra time before Phil Foden’s classy finish restored parity.
Still, it was Al Hilal who had the final word. Leonardo pounced on a rebound after Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s header was saved, guiding the ball past a helpless Ederson to spark jubilant celebrations.
“We wanted to show our talent, our power and I think we did that,” said Koulibaly, beaming with pride. The Saudi side’s defensive grit and clinical finishing, along with key saves from Yassine Bounou, proved decisive.
Al Hilal’s victory wasn’t just a tactical triumph, it was symbolic. A reminder that global football’s balance of power is shifting, and on this night, Riyadh outshone Manchester.
