Real Madrid held by Al-Hilal in Alsonso's debut
Miami Gardens – Federico Valverde missed a stoppage-time penalty as Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup on Wednesday.
A large contingent of Real fans in a crowd of 62,415 at the Hard Rock Stadium were left frustrated after new manager Xabi Alonso's first game in charged ended with the points shared.
For the Saudi club, with Italian Simone Inzaghi also making his debut on the bench, it was an impressive performance where they caused Real's defence plenty of problems before securing a hugely encouraging surprise result.
Al-Hilal started off in effervescent fashion and went close in the 19th minute when Salem Aldawsari volleyed back in to the box and Marcos Leonardo's effort flew just wide.
Renan Lodi had the ball in the net for the Saudi side but the effort was ruled out for offside from another dangerous break Aldawsari showed his pace but dragged his shot just wide.
Real gradually gained more control over the game and Rodrygo went close in the 31st minute when he cut in from the right and his left-foot effort zipped just over the bar.
But Real's quality was starting to shine through and they grabbed the lead in the 34th minute.
Gonzalo, starting in place of the absent Kylian Mbappe, started the break from deep and a clever exchange of passes concluded with Rodrygo drilling a low ball into the box where Gonzalo, who had continued his run, provided a delicate finish.
It was a classic counter-attacking goal but it did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the Saudi side who continued to press forward with energy.
Four minutes before the break, they drew level when Raul Asencio was ruled to have pulled down Marcos Leonardo and Portugal international Ruben Neves calmly tucked away the penalty.
The dangerous Aldawsari, who scored the winner for Saudi Arabia in their upset win over Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar, threatened again just before the break.
But Real came out strongly after the interval with Arda Guler introduced at the break rattling the bar with a volley from a Vinicius Jr. cross.
Moments later, Gonzalo brought a fine save out of Yassine Bounou with a firm header from a Vinicius crosss and then Valverde flashed a shot wide from 25 yards out.
Having survived that storm from Real, Al-Hilal began to creep back into the game and ask some questions again of the Real defence.
But with three minutes of normal time remaining Real were handed the chance to take all three points when Mohammed Al Qahtani was ruled to have put his hand in the face of Fran Garcia as he tried to hold off the challenge of the Real left-back.
But Valverde's shot was saved by the diving Bounou to give the Saudi team a point after a hugely creditable performance.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraqi News
4 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Chelsea agree deal for Dortmund's Gittens
London – Chelsea are set to add England under-21 international winger Jamie Gittens to their forward line after agreeing a deal with Borussia Dortmund, according to reports on Saturday. Sky Sports said an agreement has been reached between the clubs, who are both competing at the Club World Cup in the United States. The Blues will reportedly pay up to 65 million euros (£55 million, $76 million) for the 20-year-old, who had been in Chelsea's academy as a youth player. Gittens eventually moved to Manchester City's academy before signing for Dortmund in 2022. He made 107 appearances for the German giants, scoring 17 goals, 12 of which came in the Bundesliga and Champions League last season. Chelsea were in the market to bolster their wide options after refusing the chance to sign Manchester United's Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal after his loan spell at Stamford Bridge. Mykhailo Mudryk also remains provisionally suspended by the English Football Association after failing a drugs test. Gittens would be Chelsea's fourth signing of the summer, joining striker Liam Delap, midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Mamadou Sarr. Brazilian rising star Estevao Willian, 18, will also join the Premier League giants after his Club World Cup campaign with Palmeiras.
Iraqi News
4 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Inter Miami can dream of shocking PSG: Mascherano
Atlanta – Javier Mascherano insists his Inter Miami side can shock European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup last 16 on Sunday, despite admitting they are levels below the French giants. With Argentine great Lionel Messi leading the charge, Miami surprised in the group stage as they progressed but facing newly-crowned Champions League winners PSG in Atlanta is a 'huge challenge' in the coach's eyes. 'We will try to be up to the standard, we will try to do things in the best way we can, and why can't be dream of being able to shock them?' Mascherano told a news conference Saturday. 'My message (to the players) is that this is not over yet, there is a game to be played. We know we are taking on an opponent of unique power, one of the best in the world, but this is football. 'Tomorrow, why not try to play the best game possible, a near-perfect game for us, and have the chance of competing and some chance of going through.' Despite PSG being heavy favourites, Mascherano said his side cannot be written off before a ball is kicked at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 'We are not naive, we know that the feeling around the game is we are the weaker team, that's clear,' continued Mascherano. 'That doesn't mean they can kill us in advance. We will fight, that's what it's about. I think the beautiful thing about the game tomorrow is that we have earned the right to play it.' The coach said he was glad 38-year-old playmaker Messi played for Miami now, rather than PSG. 'Everything around Leo generates a lot of interest, we Argentines know that after the World Cup (win in 2022) and all of that,' said Mascherano. 'The most important thing is that Leo is well and that Leo plays for us. I think that helps keep us calmer than anything. And after that, it's a game of football.' – Reunion – Mascherano was also looking forward to meeting PSG boss Luis Enrique, who coached him, as well as Miami players Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba at Barcelona, all of them winning the treble together in 2015. 'Luis is one of the best coaches I've had in my career, I have a good personal relationship with him,' said Mascherano. 'He was one of those who convinced me to stay at Barca back in that era… he's a great coach who has shown it with Barcelona, now in Paris, and also in the Spanish national team… 'It's also good to test yourself against this type of coach, this type of team, it's a challenge.' Inter Miami earned a surprise win against Portuguese side Porto on their way to qualifying second from Group A behind Palmeiras. Federico Redondo, son of former Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Redondo, accepted his team will have to defend well to stand any chance of securing a result against the French champions. 'The reality is they are the best team in the world, and when you have a team of that level, they dominate you and oblige you to defend more,' said the 22-year-old Argentine. Redondo said his father had not given him any special advice for the clash against Champions League winners PSG. '(He said) what he always does, that I should enjoy it, and that we keep doing what we've been doing, that we've had three great games,' added Redondo.
Iraqi News
4 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Nkunku fires Chelsea into Club World Cup quarters as Benfica downed
Charlotte – Chelsea defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra time in a weather-disrupted last-16 clash to book their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all scored in extra time to send Premier League side Chelsea into a quarter-final clash against Brazil's Palmeiras. Chelsea's late burst of scoring settled a game that took four hours, 39 minutes to complete at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina after a near two-hour weather delay. Earlier, Chelsea had been seemingly poised for victory after Reece James' opportunistic second-half free-kick had left them 1-0 up with four minutes of regulation time remaining. But just as Chelsea began to think about their quarter-final assignment, the arrival of a storm over Charlotte triggered local safety protocols which required the game to be halted. It marked the sixth occasion during the Club World Cup that a game has been disrupted by a weather warning. When play resumed just under two hours later, a revitalised Benfica grabbed an injury-time equaliser after Chelsea substitute Malo Gusto was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area following an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee. Benfica's Argentine veteran Angel Di Maria stepped up to roll in an ice-cold penalty, sending the game into extra time. An end-to-end first half of extra time saw Benfica, reduced to 10 men following Gianluca Prestianni's second yellow card at the end of regulation, threaten to take the lead as they chased an improbable victory. But instead it was Nkunku who fired Chelsea back in front, the French international bundling in from close range after Moises Caicedo's low shot squirted underneath Benfica goalkeeper Antoliy Trubin. As the game opened up, Benfica were increasingly vulnerable on the counter-attack and Chelsea pounced. Neto made it 3-1 with a nerveless finish after going clean through on goal in the 114th minute, and three minutes later Dewsbury-Hall completed the rout to send Chelsea through to the last eight.
