Manchester City suffered a stunning exit from the Club World Cup after a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Al-Hilal in extra time. The Premier League champions, heavy favourites to advance, were undone by two late goals and a resilient performance from the Saudi Arabian side.
The decisive moment came in the 112th minute when Marcos Leonardo pounced on a rebound to score his second goal of the match. Renan Lodi’s cross was met by a powerful Sergej Milinković-Savić header, which forced a save from Ederson, only for Leonardo to fire home the rebound and complete a famous upset. Earlier in extra time, Kalidou Koulibaly had put Al-Hilal ahead with a towering header from a Ruben Neves corner.
Phil Foden appeared to rescue City with a stunning equaliser just minutes after Koulibaly’s strike. The midfielder ran onto a lofted pass from Rayan Cherki and volleyed in from a tight angle, scoring his 100th goal for City in his 319th appearance. However, the momentum was short-lived as Al-Hilal struck again.
City had taken an early lead in controversial fashion. Rayan Ait-Nouri’s cross led to a chaotic sequence in the box, with the ball appearing to strike the arms of both Ait-Nouri and Ilkay Gundogan before Bernardo Silva bundled it in. Despite Al-Hilal’s furious protests and replays suggesting potential handballs, the referee allowed the goal to stand.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, City failed to capitalise. Savinho was denied by Yassine Bounou, Gundogan missed when clean through, and Josko Gvardiol squandered a header. Jeremy Doku also lacked precision in front of goal.
Al-Hilal’s first equaliser came just after the break. Joao Cancelo exploited City’s high defensive line, delivering a cross that led to a scramble, and Leonardo converted after Malcolm’s initial shot was blocked. The Saudi side then took the lead in a blistering counter-attack. Malcolm raced away from Ait-Nouri and calmly slotted past Ederson.
City responded quickly through Erling Haaland, who capitalised on a ricochet following a corner to bring the score to 2-2. As the match moved into extra time, Guardiola introduced Foden and Cherki, but the decision may have come too late. Rodri, who had come on as a substitute earlier, was later removed due to injury concerns.
The defeat ends City’s Club World Cup campaign prematurely, denying them a place in the quarter-finals and a significant financial boost. For Al-Hilal, it marks a memorable triumph and a quarter-final clash with Fluminense, while City are left to rue missed chances and tactical decisions on a night of high drama in Orlando.
