Al Hilal’s Kalidou Koulibaly (C) celebrates his goal with Marcos Leonardo (L) and Ruben Neves during a win over Manchester City at the FIFA Club World Cup on Monday in Orlando, Fla. Photo by Miguel Rodriguez/EPA
Marcos Leonardo scored twice, including a follow-up game-winner at the left post in extra time to lead Al Hilal to a shocking upset of Manchester City, eliminating the Sky Blues from the Club World Cup in Orlando, Fla.
Malcolm and Kalidou Koulibaly also scored in the 4-3 triumph Monday at Camping World Stadium. Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden found the net for the Sky Blues.
“We would have loved to continue because it’s not easy to be here once every four years,” Sky Blues coach Pep Guardiola told reporters.
“I still have the feeling that the team is doing well, but we will go home and now it’s time to rest, refresh our minds and come back for the next season.”
The Sky Blues outshot their Saudi Pro League foes 30-17, including a 14-6 edge in shots on target, but failed to break through in the critical stages of the Round of 16 match. Al Hilal goalie Yassine Bounou made 10 saves, tied for the most in any game this competition.
Silva drew first blood in the 9th minute for the Sky Blues. Left back Rayan Ait-Nouri first sent a quick feed to center midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who finished a give-and-go passing sequence with a chipped touch toward the far post.
Ait-Nouri regained control and hit then ball in front of the net. Al Hilal failed at a clearance, sending the ball off of midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. Silva proceeded to collect possession at the near post, where he used his left foot to finish.
The Sky Blues held the narrow lead through the halftime whistle. Al Hilal proceeded to score twice early on in the second half to snatch momentum.
Leonardo beat Sky Blues goalie Ederson for an equalizer about 41 seconds into the second half. Malcom started that sequence with a breakaway. The Brazilian winger had an initial attempt denied by fullback Ruben Dias, but the ball deflected out to Leonardo about eight yards from the goal. The Brazilian striker finished the play with a header into the far-post netting.
Defender Joao Cancelo assisted Malcom for a go-ahead score about six minutes later. Cancelo sparked the score by threading a long feed ahead of Malcom to trigger a breakaway. Malcom raced behind the Sky Blues’ back line and used his left foot to ground a shot just inside the right post in the 52nd minute.
Haaland netted an equalizer when he collected a loose ball and finished from point-black range during a corner kick in the 55th minute.
Neither team scored for the remainder of regulation. Koulibaly gave Al Hilal another advantage when he headed in a corner kick from Ruben Neves in the 94th minute.
Foden, who came in as an extra-time substitute, tied the score about 10 minutes later. He netted that score off a brilliant feed from fellow midfielder Rayan Cherki, who lifted a long ball toward the far post. Foden finished the play with a one-touch shot past Bounou.
But Leonardo had the last word, beating Ederson with his dramatic game winner in the second portion of extra time.
The Brazilian goalie denied an initial attempt from Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, diving to keep a header out of the net. But Ederson deflected the ball out to Leonardo in the process, allowing him to bring the ball down with his stomach before finishing at the left post.
Al Hilal will face Brazil’s Fluminense in a Club World Cup quarterfinal at 3 p.m. EDT Friday in Orlando. The winner will face Chelsea of England’s Premier League or Brazil’s Palmeiras.
