Al Hilal defeated Manchester City in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 in one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. An upset that followed another major upset earlier in the day as Fluminense eliminated Inter Milan.
Man City dominated the first half after Bernardo Silva opened the scoring. They limited Al Hilal to half-chances for the first 45, but the second half was a completely different tale. Marcos Leonardo and Malcom each scored while Erling Haaland kept the Cityzens in the tie to force extra time. Three more goals in extra time with both sides trading blows produced one of the best ties of the summer.
Leonardo's 112th minute goal was the decider in the end as Simone Inzaghi's side pulled off the upset. Redemption for Inzaghi in some way after losing the Champions League final back in 2023 against Guardiola, but belief is building within the Al Hilal camp that they can make a real run this tournament. Fluminense await in the next round, but they'll celebrate this win before preparing for the quarterfinals.
One of the best games of the Club World Cup is in the books, but the excitement continues to build as we near the decisive stages of the tournament.
Takeaways from the game below.
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A Vintage Manchester City Performance in the First Half
The entire story tells a much different tale, but the first half was extremely dominant from Man City. It was a vintage showing from a Pep Guardiola side as they methodically maintained possession and bided their time every time they were on the ball. Play was shifted wide, back-and-forth as Savinho and Jeremy Doku looked to find a killer pass. They were cruising... until the second half.
If the Manchester City that showed up in the first half kept on, their status as favorites would've been cemented. Instead, the second half and extra time told a different tale. The Man City we saw for a majority of the night that what fans saw last year in the Premier League and Champions League. They were unable to dominate for the majority of the night and it cost them.
Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri look to be some of the best signings of the summer, not to mention Rayan Cherki's contribution off the bench.
Phil Foden is Back
Phil Foden wasn't himself last season. A goal-scoring drought, in and out of starting lineups, he never quite looked like his best. This summer? He was a contender for player of the tournament if they advanced.
Foden's goal at the end of the first half of extra time was clutch and a showcase of his technical ability. On talk of Man City's summer business, Foden's reemergence could end up being the biggest story of the summer. Particularly in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne's departure. Whether Guardiola decides to insert him specifically into the No. 10 role, or play him on the flanks where he can be lethal, Foden could play a major part in Man City's return to the title picture.
A Golden Chance at the Semifinals
What an opportunity for Al Hilal and Simone Inzaghi in just his first month in charge. Al Hilal certainly weren't favored coming into the game, but fans counting them out didn't see value their performance against Real Madrid in the group stage.
After dispatching one of the tournament favorites, Al Hilal face off against Cinderella story Fluminense. While neutrals might've fantasized about an opportunity to see Inzaghi face off against his former club, he can put those nerves to bed thanks to El Flu.
They have the belief in them now after defeating Man City. Al Hilal vs. Fluminense will be one of the most exciting games of the tournament as two underdog sides look to book their spot in the final four.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Best Game of the Club World Cup so Far: Takeaways From Man City 3–4 Al Hilal.
