DUBAI: Al-Hilal proved once again that few clubs in Asia, or even the world, are capable of hitting seemingly unreachable heights after a stunning 4-3 win against Manchester City in the round of 16 at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Simone Inzaghi’s team trailed at half-time in Orlando to Bernardo Silva’s opener, but stormed back after the break to take the lead with strikes from Brazilians Marco Leonardo (46 minutes) and Malcolm (52).
Erling Haaland leveled the score minutes later to ensure the match went into extra time. Then Kalidou Koulibaly’s 94th-minute third for Hilal was cancelled by substitute Phil Foden 10 minutes later.
The stage was set for Leonardo to score an emotional winner with 8 minutes left on the clock.
In the aftermath of the victory, Al-Hilal’s official account on X posted a video clip of the players celebrating in the dressing room with club President Fahad bin Nafel.
Al Jazeera commented that “Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal have sent English giants Manchester City crashing out of the Club World Cup, snatching a shock 4-3 victory in extra time in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.”
For “all City’s depth, Al-Hilal had a deep well of spirit to draw upon,” Al Jazeera added, highlighting the Riyadh club’s powers of recovery against one of the world’s best teams.
The BBC reported that the former Premier League champions had been “stunned in extra time by Saudi Arabia side Al-Hilal in an incredible seven-goal thriller.” And that Leonardo had delivered a “monumental result for the 2021 AFC Champions League winners.”
In his match report for the UK’s The Guardian newspaper, Jamie Jackson highlighted the job the new Hilal coach has done in such a short period and in challenging circumstances.
“Inzaghi took over four days after Inter’s 5-0 Champions League thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain,” the report said.
“He left an Italian giant for a Saudi one but before taking on Real Madrid in the group opener had only two weeks to implement his ideas, a central plank of which is the favored five-man backline he fielded here.
He added that the 1-1 draw against “the European aristocrats in his first game was an eye-catching calling card” but here Inzaghi was without his captain, Salem Al-Dawsari, and No. 9, Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Inzaghi himself said the key to the result was “the players, the heart they put on the pitch.”
“Tonight we had to do something extraordinary because we knew how good Manchester City are,” the Italian coach said. “We knew we had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen and we were great.”
“We played with a strong determination and we are really feeling the game. They deserved it,” Inzaghi added. “They fought for every ball and it gives satisfaction to the family of Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia and the fans here with us.”
The former Inter Milan coach’s tactics were lauded by fans and pundits on social media.
On X, football analyst Roger Bonet wrote: “Hats off to Simone Inzaghi again. Only a few weeks of work, yet Al-Hilal looks sharp and confident.”
One X account, @sportsdokitor, posted that “Simeone Inzaghi is one of the best managers in the world and he’s proving it again at Al-Hilal,” while another was even more effusive with praise.
@ChelseaWay_ posted: “I genuinely don’t think (I’ve) ever seen a manager put his stamp on a team as quick as Simone Inzaghi did with Al-Hilal. This is (genuinely) ridiculous.
“I am watching them this tournament, and their patterns of play, movements, pressing structure, link up in small spaces.”
Meanwhile Al-Hilal match winner Leonardo received praise across the board for his return to form after a difficult recent period at the club.
“I’ve had a difficult time in the last two months. My mother spent 70 days in the ICU,” he said at the final whistle. “Today, she’s fine, thank God. When I scored those two goals, I thought of her. She was able to watch the match.”
Arab football fans and accounts hailed the result and Al-Hilal’s performances at the Club World Cup.
Bilal Haddad (@bilalhd91), with 4.1 million followers on Instagram, posted an Arabic-language video in which he disbelievingly says “am I dreaming or is this real.”
Also on Instagram, Arab football fan @fayadzinho did not hold back his joy.
“The Saudi league just embarrassed the Premier League, yes Al-Hilal have done it. I’ve been waiting for this day for more than 11 years,” he said in an emotional video clip.
Even Hilal’s greatest rivals Al-Nassr joined in.
“Al-Hilal is demonstrating to the world the strength and quality of the Saudi Pro League,” @TheNassrZone, with almost 69,000 followers, posted on X.
“Their performance reflects the league’s rising prominence and commitment to excellence. A well-deserved salute to them for elevating Saudi football even more on the international stage.”
