Bounou Leads Al-Hilal to Eliminate Manchester City and Secure Historic Qualification to the Club World Cup Quarterfinals
Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia achieved a historic milestone by eliminating English and European champions Manchester City from the Club World Cup, in an exciting match that ended 4-3 at the "Camping World" stadium in Orlando, USA, securing their place in the quarterfinals and continuing their steady march towards the global title.
The match featured exceptional moments, particularly from Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who saved ten clear chances from Manchester City’s attack and played a crucial role in preventing goals, saving his team on multiple occasions. Bounou’s heroic performance drew attention and reaffirmed his status as one of the best goalkeepers on the international stage.
Manchester City opened the scoring early in the ninth minute through Bernardo Silva, amidst protests from Al-Hilal players regarding a handball against Rayan Ait-Nouri. The English side continued to apply pressure during the first half, but Al-Hilal’s defense held strong.
At the beginning of the second half, Al-Hilal made a surprising comeback, scoring two consecutive goals from Brazilians Marcos Leonardo in the 46th minute and Malcom in the 52nd minute, turning the match in their favor. The response came swiftly from Erling Haaland, who equalized in the 55th minute, leading to a 2-2 tie at the end of regular time.
Extra time brought even more excitement, as Koulibaly restored Al-Hilal’s lead in the 94th minute, only for Phil Foden to equalize again in the 104th minute. However, Marcos Leonardo returned to clinch the match with a last-gasp goal in the 112th minute, giving Al-Hilal a historic victory and eliminating one of the world’s strongest teams.
Al-Hilal exhibited a strong character and fighting spirit, sending a clear message that they are not just participants in the tournament but serious contenders for the title. In contrast, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola appeared frustrated and exhausted, not hiding his disappointment over the unexpected exit.
Al-Hilal will face Brazilian club Fluminense in the quarterfinals next Friday at 8 PM, following the latter’s qualification at the expense of Inter Milan.
After the match, Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stated in a media interview, “Manchester City is among the best in the world… but the moment came for us to show our value as Arabs and Muslims, and thank God we succeeded.”
