Al-Hilal Battle Salzburg to Goalless Draw in Club World Cup
Saudi giants Al-Hilal kept their hopes of advancing alive with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against RB Salzburg of Austria in the Club World Cup at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on Monday. The result leaves the Saudi side third in Group H with two points, following a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid.
Salzburg and Real Madrid top Group H with four points each after Los Blancos defeated Mexico's Pachuca 3-1. The Blue Waves must now beat the Mexican side in their final group game on Friday in Miami to advance further.
A win, plus a victory by Real Madrid or Salzburg in their match, would send Al-Hilal to the knockout stage. Meanwhile, a draw between Madrid and Salzburg would still allow Al-Hilal to qualify, provided they win by at least two goals. Early Chances Spark Tension
Al-Hilal began the match brightly, with Joao Cancelo firing a shot just wide in the third minute. Shortly after Cancelo's attempt, Salem Al-Dawsari tested Salzburg goalkeeper Christian Tzavischitzky. Moroccan shot-stopper Yassine Bono quickly reacted to tip a powerful effort from Karim Onisiwo over the bar.
Marcos Leonardo came close to scoring for Al-Hilal in the 22nd minute, but Danish defender Jacob Rasmussen heroically blocked his effort. The second half began with Al-Hilal facing a scare when Salzburg substitute John Mellberg forced a brilliant save from Bounou. Immediately after the save, Kalidou Koulibaly quickly cleared Dorgeles Nene's rebound off the line in the 48th minute. Late Opportunities Fall Short
Al-Hilal responded with long-range attempts from Ruben Neves and Cancelo, but the alert Salzburg keeper denied both shots. In the 57th minute, Malcolm missed a golden opportunity after exchanging quick passes with Al-Dawsari when a defender deflected his shot for a corner.
Late in the game, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic attempted a powerful strike from distance, but Tzavischitzky collected it cleanly. In the dying moments, substitute Yorbe Vertessen nearly stole the win for Salzburg with a curling shot that grazed the post.
With strong fan support, Al-Hilal head into their final group match knowing only victory will keep their tournament dreams alive.
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