Fluminense stun Al-Hilal to reach Club World Cup semifinal
The tournament underdogs struck first through Matheus Martinelli in the opening half before Al-Hilal hit back after the break when Marcus Leonardo found the net.
But Fluminense refused to be denied and regained their lead in the 70th minute through Hercules to secure a memorable win over Al-Hilal in the first meeting between the two clubs.
The Brazilian side, who entered the tournament as one of the biggest long shots, will now face the winners of Friday's other quarter-final clash between Palmeiras and Chelsea.
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Leaders
5 hours ago
- Leaders
RELIVE: Brazil's Fluminense v Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal (FIFA Club World Cup)
Leaders-Mena magazine will provide a live coverage for Friday's game between Fluminense and Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals. Fulltime: Fluminense 2-1 Al-Hilal Scorers: M. Martinelli 40′, Hercules 70′ / M. Leonardo 51′ Yellow cards: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Renan Lodi, Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal) Juan Freytes, Martinelli, Thiago Silva (Fluminense) Lineups: Fluminense: Fabio; Ignacio, Thiago Silva, Juan Freytes; Samuel Xavier ( Guga 83) , Facundo Bernal ( Thiago Santos 88) , Matheus Martinelli ( Hercules 46) , Gabriel Fuentes, Nonato (Lima 68); Jhon Arias, German Cano (Everaldo 68) Al-Hilal: Bono; Joao Cancelo ( Hamad Al-Yami 90+4) , Kalidou Koulibaly, Moteb Al-Harbi ( Ali Al-Bulayhi 83) , Renan Lodi; Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Nasser Al-Dawsari ( Kaio Cesar 83) , Mohamed Kanno ( Abderrazak Hamdallah 75) ; Malcom ( Musab Al-Juwayr 90+4) , Marcos Leonardo ====================================================================== 90+10′ Second half ends. 90+7′ Koulibaly gets a yellow card for a harsh foul. 90+6′ Another corner for Al-Hilal. 90+5′ Corner kick for Al-Hilal. 90+4′ Double subs for Al-Hilal: Joao Cancelo will be replaced by Hamad Al-Yami; Malcom goes off the pitch and Musab Al-Juwayr comes on 90+1′ Referee Danny Makkelie shows a yellow card to Simone Inzaghi for his unsportsmanlike behavior after the match has ended. 90′ Fourth official announces 7 minutes of added time. 90′ Neves gets a yellow card. 88′ Substitution for Fluminense: Thiago Santos replaces Facundo Bernal 87′ Ruben Neves unleashes a right-footed strike from outside the box but it goes wide of the right post 87′ Al-Hilal players are pushing forward to level the score. 83′ Substitution for Fluminense: Guga comes in for Samuel Xavier 83′ Double subs for Al-Hilal: Kaio Cesar comes in for Nasser Al-Dawsari; Ali Al-Bulayhi replaces Moteb Al-Harbi 81′ Lodi wins a free kick in the defensive half. 80′ Everaldo tries his luck with a right-footed strike from the centre of the box but it is high and wide to the right. 79′ WHAT A SAVE! Samuel Xavier fires the ball with a right-footed shot from outside the box, but Bono pulls off a brillinat save. 76′ Water Break! It's time for the cooling break for the players to take on some fluids. 75′ Substitution for Al-Hilal: Abderrazak Hamdallah replaces Mohamed Kanno. (GOAL) Samuel Xavier gets to the ball and heads it over the defence to Hercules, who meets it nicely and fires in into the back of the net. 70′ GOOAAL… Fluminense add the second. 68′ Double subs for Fluminense: Everaldo replaces German Cano; Lima comes in for Nonato 66′ Thiago Silva gets a yellow card for a harsh tackle. 64′ Leonardo wins a free kick in the attacking half. 63′ Moteb Al-Harbi misses a big chance! He fires the ball high over the crossbar from inside the 6-yard box after the ball rebounded to him. 61′ Corner kick for Al-Hilal; conceded by Thiago Silva. 57′ Ruben Neves wins a free kick in the defensive half. 56′ Sergej Milinkovic-Savic attempts on target with a right-footed shot from outside the box, but the goalkeeper pulls off a nice save. 53′ Lodi tries his luck with a powerful shot on goal from outside the box, but his shot is blocked. 52′ Cano wins a free kick for Fluminense in the attacking half. (GOAL) The resulting corner is whipped into the box and Marcos Leonardo (Al Hilal) buries the ball into the back of the net from a Kalidou Koulibaly knock down. 51′ GOOAAL… Al-Hilal level the score. 49′ Corner kick for Al-Hilal; conceded by Gabriel Fuentes. 47′ Lodi unleashes a missile of a shot towards goal, but his good effort is blocked by one of the defenders. 46′ Second half begins. 46′ Substitution for Fluminense: Martinelli is going off and Hercules is coming in. Halftime 45+8′ First half ends. 45+8′ Al-Hilal win a free kick in the defensive half. 45+5′ NO PENALTY! 45+4′ VAR Check. 45+3′ Al-Hilal have been awarded a penalty kick. 45+2′ Corner kick for Al-Hilal 45′ Fourth official announces 4 minutes of added time. 44′ Martinelli gets a yellow card. 42′ Martinelli wins a free kick for Fluminense in the defensive half. (GOAL) Gabriel Fuentes tees up Martinelli inside the box, and he keeps his cool to find the top right corner. 40′ GOOAAL… Fluminense open the scoring. 38′ Samuel Xavier tries to send a low pass into the box, but it's blocked and cleared. The ball is out of play. Fluminense will have a chance to score from a corner. 37′ Malcom capitalizes on a rebound just outside the box, but his attempt is blocked by one of the defending players. 36′ A yellow card for a tackle by Fluminense's Juan Freytes 36′ Malcom wins a free kick on the right wing. 31′ Water Break! The ref blows his whistle and we are going to have a so-called cooling break due to the high temperature. 29′ Martinelli wins a free kick for Fluminense in the attacking half. 28′ Fluminense's Jhon Arias finds himself beyond the last defender, but the game is stopped by the referee after the linesman signals for offside. 27′ Koulibaly connects with Neves's corner with a powerful header from very close range, but it goes wide. 26′ Corner kick for Al-Hilal; conceded by Ignácio 25′ Milinkovic-Savic sends over a cross from the side into the penalty area in order to find one of his teammates, but he fails and the opportunity goes begging. 23′ Fluminense's German Cano is caught offside. 22′ Renan Lodi gets a yellow card for a harsh tackle. 18′ Nonato makes some space for himself and from mid-range let's fly with a wild effort which goes high over the crossbar. 18′ Milinkovic-Savic does his best to latch onto a cross into the box, but he can't get to the ball. 16′ Al-Hilal's Kanno wins a free kick in the defensive half. 11′ Sergej Milinkovic-Savic sees a yellow card from Danny Makkelie after he sent one of the opposing players to the ground. 10′ Fluminense's Nonato wins a free kick in the attacking half. 7′ Kanno wins a free kick for Al-Hilal in the defensive half. 4′ Throw in for Al-Hilal in the attacking half. 1′ Marcos Leonardo wins a free kick for Al-Hilal on the left wing. 1′ First half begins. 22:00 A minute's silence in honour of Liverpool late player Diogo Jota. ======================================================================21:00 The players have arrived at Orlando's Camping World Stadium ahead of the clash. 19:00 The anticipated game marks the first encounter between Al-Hilal and Fluminense, though the Saudi giants are stranger to Brazilian opposition at the Club World Cup, having faced Flamengo twice, a thrilling victory in 2023 and a narrow defeat in 2019. 18:00 The Riyadh-based giants are determined to replicate their impressive performance from the 2022 tournament held in Morocco, where they reached the final against Real Madrid but they fell short, losing 5-3 to the Spanish powerhouse. 17:00 Despite ongoing injury concerns, Coach Simone Inzaghi is expected to deploy the same starting XI that defeated Manchester City in their previous encounter, with striker Abderrazak Hamdallah likely to making a game-changing impact off the bench. Possible lineups: Fluminense: Fabio; Ignacio, Silva, Freytes; Xavier, Hercules, Martinelli, Rene; Nonato; Arias, Cano Al-Hilal: Bono; Cancelo, Tambakti, Koulibaly, Lodi; Neves, Kanno; Malcom, Milinkovic-Savic, N. Al-Dawsari; Leonardo 16:00 Al-Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi heaped praise on his squad, specially Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who played under the Italian tactician at Lazio in Serie A, stating after the win over Man city, 'I didn't need to get to know Sergej. He is an extraordinary player who combines quality and quantity.' 'He ran a lot, just like all the other players. He, like Koulibaly and Joao Cancelo, speak Italian, so they also help my staff and me,' he added. 14:00 With Aleksandar Mitrovic and Salem Al-Dawsari sidelined due to injuries, Al-Hilal bolstered their attacking options by signing Moroccan international striker Abderrazak Hamdallah on a short-term loan from Al-Shabab. 13:00 The Saudi Pro League runners-up delivered a stunning performance, defeating Premier League giants and defending champions Manchester City 4-3 in extra time during the round of 16. Meanwhile, Fluminense secured their spot in the quarter-finals by knocking out Serie A powerhouse Inter Milan. 12:00 Saudi giants Al-Hilal will be eyeing on a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals when they take on Brazil's Fluminense in Orlando on Friday. Venue: Camping World Stadium (Orlando, USA) Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands) Check the match preview Here . Short link : Post Views: 446
Leaders
5 hours ago
- Leaders
Al-Hilal Bid Club World Cup Farewell After Slim Loss to Fluminense
Saudi powerhouse Al-Hilal concluded their impressive journey in the FIFA Club World Cup after suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat to Fluminense of Brazil in the competition's quarterfinals at Orlando's Camping World Stadium on Friday. Matheus Martinelli opened the scoring for the Rio club in the 40th minute, but Al-Hilal's Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo levelled six minutes into the second half before Hercules stole the show to the delight of the vast majority of the 43,091 crowd, sealing the victory for the Brazilian side to reach the semi-finals of the Club World Cup. Al-Hilal's Journey Al-Hilal had pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament, beating Manchester City 4-3, to reach the last eight and Simone Inzaghi's side fought hard until the end to keep their adventure alive. Their journey has been remarkable and deserves recognition. They bow out of the tournament having been unbeaten through the group stage, including holding Real Madrid to a draw, and having truly made their mark on the world stage. This highlights their strong performance throughout the tournament. There was a moment's silence before the kick-off in memory of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva who died in the early hours of Thursday after their car veered off a motorway in Spain and burst into flames. This adds a somber note to the event. Al-Hilal's line-up featured two of Jota's Portugal team-mates in Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo. This connection adds a personal touch to the story. First Half Details The first half was a tight and tactical affair with few chances until Martinelli opened the scoring when he picked the ball up from Gabriel Fuentes inside the box and span out to give himself space for a left-foot shot that rocketed past Yassine Bono. This describes the initial cautious play and the breakthrough goal. Al-Hilal went close to a quick response when Kalidou Koulibaly's header forced Fluminense's 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio into a fine save. This shows Al-Hilal's immediate attempt to equalize. The Saudi side were awarded a penalty when Samuel Xavier was ruled to have brought down Marcos Leonardo in the box but Dutch referee Danny Makkelie was eventually sent to the monitor where he overturned his own decision after seeing there had been no contact between the two players. This adds drama and a bit of controversy to the match. Second Half Action After going in at the break trailing by a goal, Al-Hilal came out strongly for the second half and drew level when Koulibaly headed a Neves corner down to Marcos Leonardo who poked home. This shows their resilience and determination. Al-Hilal's Brazilian full back Renan Lodi had a let off when his poor backpass fell straight at the feet of German Cano but the Fluminense striker's attempt to round Bono was denied by the smart work of the Moroccan keeper. But the outcome settled with 20 minutes remaining when the defense blocked half-time substitute Hercules's shot from distance but from the loose ball Samuel headed the ball back to the forward who raced into the box and fired past Bono to make it 2-1. Final Minutes Al-Hilal produced a flurry of corners and some intense pressure in the final minutes as they desperately sought a way to keep their dream alive but the Brazilians were good value for their victory. This encapsulates the final efforts and the conclusion of the match. Fluminense could yet face an all-Brazilian semi-final if their rivals from Sao Paulo, Palmeiras, are able to overcome Premier League Chelsea in Saturday's other quarter-final. This adds an interesting subplot to the tournament. The Riyadh-based giants' journey in the Club World Cup ended in a narrow defeat, but their performance has left a lasting impression, as they fought valiantly and showcased their talent on the world stage. Short link : Post Views: 23
Saudi Gazette
10 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Al Hilal exit Club World Cup after narrow defeat to Fluminense
Saudi Gazette report ORLANDO — Al Hilal's dream run at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup came to an end in the quarterfinals on Friday, as the Saudi giants fell 2-1 to Brazil's Fluminense at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Despite their stunning 4-3 extra-time victory over Manchester City in the Round of 16, hailed as one of the greatest results in the tournament's history, Hilal could not overcome the reigning Copa Libertadores champions. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli (40') and substitute Hercules Pereira (70') sealed Fluminense's win, while Marcos Leonardo (51') netted the lone goal for Hilal. The result ends Al Hilal's run as the final Arab representative in the competition, following earlier exits by Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, Espérance de Tunis, and Al Ain in the group stage. The loss also marked the first defeat under new head coach Simone Inzaghi, who had guided Hilal through four unbeaten matches since taking over in early will now face the winner of Palmeiras vs Chelsea in the semifinals on July 8 in New York's MetLife Hilal entered the match unchanged from their triumph over City, with newly signed striker Abderrazak Hamdallah starting on the team remained without several key players due to injury, including Aleksandar Mitrović and Salem a first half of few clear chances, Fluminense capitalized on a defensive error by João Cancelo, with Martinelli curling his shot past Yassine Bounou into the far corner in the 40th Hilal nearly equalized in stoppage time through Kalidou Koulibaly's header, but their penalty appeal moments later was overturned after VAR brought Al Hilal level early in the second half, pouncing on a loose ball in the box after a Koulibaly Brazilian striker's fourth goal of the tournament briefly lifted the Saudi side, but Fluminense regained the lead in the 70th minute when Pereira slotted home after a headed pass from Samuel responded by bringing on Hamdallah, but the Brazilian side maintained control and nearly extended their Hilal, visibly fatigued after their extra-time battle against Manchester City, pushed for a late equalizer but couldn't find the the loss, Al Hilal's performance in the tournament, especially the shock win over the Premier League champions, will be remembered as a historic moment in Saudi and Asian football.
