Manchester City on Monday crashed out of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 4-3 defeat in extra-time by Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in the round-of-16, hours after UEFA Champions League runners-up Inter were eliminated by Fluminense on a day of shock results.
Italy’s Inter were dumped out 2-0 by the Brazilian side in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Pep Guardiola’s City joined them after Marcos Leonardo’s brace left the English Premier League giants on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller.
Al Hilal, who recorded one of the greatest results in Middle Eastern soccer history, are to face Fluminense in Orlando, Florida, on Friday in the quarter-finals.
Photo: AFP
City were the only side to win all three group matches, including a thrashing of Juventus, but came undone in Florida against an Al Hilal side filled with players who once starred for European teams.
Guardiola’s team were the defending champions, having won the trophy last year in its previous format, but were matched blow-for-blow by Al Hilal at the Camping World Stadium.
Former Inter coach Simone Inzaghi’s side showed their quality in the group stage as they held Spanish giants Real Madrid to a draw, but few expected they could derail City’s charge toward the trophy.
Photo: AFP
“We knew that it was a difficult game against one of the best teams in the world — we wanted to show our ideas, our talents, our power,” Al Hilal’s Kalidou Koulibaly said.
Bernardo Silva turned home from close range to put City ahead after nine minutes on a muggy night on the east coast, but Leonardo leveled early in the second half.
Former Barcelona winger Malcom fired the Saudi Arabian side ahead after Joao Cancelo threaded him through on goal.
Erling Haaland leveled for City and had an effort cleared off the line late on, before the game went to extra-time.
Koulibaly nodded home from a corner after 94 minutes, but Phil Foden finished well to level 10 minutes later.
The match was decided by Leonardo reacting well to prod home when Ederson saved Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s header after 112 minutes, with City unable to battle back a third time.
“Unfortunately, we can’t continue in the competition so we have to learn and keep moving forward,” Guardiola told reporters. “Al Hilal don’t just run, they have a lot of quality, we created a lot with wingers, but they are a complete team... I have a big, big opinion of Al Hilal, but I [also] think we had a good game to be honest.”
Elsewhere, German Cano headed home early on to give Fluminense the lead against Inter and the Brazilian side survived an onslaught from the Serie A team to progress.
Substitute Hercules netted late on to seal their win, while a frustrated Inter hit the woodwork twice through Lautaro Martinez and Federico Dimarco.
The Rio de Janeiro outfit become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.
“We knew they were not going to be easy opponents. Less than a month ago they were playing the Champions League final, but we played really well,” said 40-year-old Fluminense captain Thiago Silva, once of Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
It was the latest victory for a Brazilian team against prestigious European opposition at the tournament in the US, after Botafogo defeated PSG and Flamengo got the better of Chelsea in the group stage.
“This is a very important victory for our fans, for all of Brazil, for my country, for South America,” said Jhon Arias, the lively Colombian winger who was named man of the match.
Inter, who were thrashed 5-0 by PSG in the Champions League final, appointed Cristian Chivu to replace the departing Inzaghi ahead of the tournament.
They did not fully convince during the group stage despite topping their section and a furious Martinez criticized some of his teammates after the game.
“I want to fight for the major trophies, [so] anyone who wants to stay at Inter, fine, let’s fight, but anyone who doesn’t want to stay can leave,” Inter’s captain said. “We’re wearing an important shirt ... we need a top-level mentality, or please leave.”
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