Al-hilal 'climb Everest' - But 'worrying Signs' For Man City

Saudi Arabia person spent billions to effort go a unit successful world football. On Monday nighttime successful Florida, celebrating supporters felt arsenic if a mini chunk of that had been repaid.

Pro League broadside Al-Hilal made their people by stunning serial Premier League winners Manchester City 4-3 successful an epic Club World Cup encounter.

Monday nights are much synonymous pinch unrecorded wrestling shows connected tv successful nan USA - but it was shot that provided nan large sporting show connected nan container this clip arsenic Marcos Leonardo's victor sent City packing.

As erstwhile England winger Andros Townsend put it connected Dazn: "Al-Hilal person shocked nan world."

For nan Brazilian striker whose extremity won nan match, it was an affectional evening. Afterwards, he paid tribute to his mother, who is recovering aft much than 2 months successful infirmary pinch a superior illness.

He said: "I person had a difficult clip successful nan past 2 months. My mother spent 70 days successful nan ICU [intensive attraction unit].

"Today she is fine, convey God. When I scored those 2 goals, I thought of her. She was capable to watch nan game."

Al-Hilal caput coach Simone Inzaghi felt arsenic if he was backmost connected apical of nan world.

A period ago, Inzaghi near Inter Milan, 3 days aft seeing his squad thrashed 5-0 by Paris St-Germain successful nan Champions League final.

Having hardly settled into to his caller role, he now has a immense triumph to celebrate.

"The cardinal of this consequence are nan players, nan bosom they put connected nan pitch," he said.

"Tonight we had to do thing bonzer because we knew really bully Manchester City are. We knew we had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen and we were great.

"We played pinch a beardown determination and we are really emotion nan game. They deserved it. They fought for each shot and it gives restitution to nan family of Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia and nan fans present pinch us."

The revamped Club World Cup has not received cosmopolitan acclaim but an unforgettable last-16 necktie will beryllium talked astir successful each corners of nan globe.

Al-Hilal clung connected successful nan first half and were fortunate to only beryllium 1-0 down acknowledgment to goalkeeper Bono's heroics but they recovered to spell up successful nan 2nd period.

They were doubly pegged backmost but Marcos Leonardo delivered nan decisive rustle and erstwhile nan last whistle was blown, unit and substitutes poured connected to nan transportation to bask nan infinitesimal pinch their players.

The joyous Al-Hilal fans, a ample cluster of whom were straight down nan dugout, waved nan bluish flags of nan nine and nan greenish and achromatic of nan country.

Exiting nan Camping World Stadium, travelling supporters packed retired nan concourses, dancing and singing "ole, ole ole ole", while Saudi journalists hugged and kissed each different successful nan post-match news convention room.

One walked successful pinch wide eyes and arms raised, screaming "Mabrook" successful Arabic, translating arsenic "congratulations", almost successful disbelief arsenic to what he had witnessed.

A journalist from nan media outlet Arryadia called nan consequence "one of nan biggest successful nan history of Saudi football" - but added that nan country's daze 2-1 triumph complete Argentina astatine nan 2022 World Cup will "always beryllium top".

A batch of money has been spent to effort to turn nan Saudi game's floor plan - much than £700m has gone connected bringing players to nan Pro League, while Portugal awesome Cristiano Ronaldo's presence astatine Al-Nassr 2 and a half years agone was a important signing.

Saudi Arabia will besides big nan 2034 World Cup - a determination that has been defended by Fifa president Gianni Infantino amid important criticism - pinch nan quality authorities run group Amnesty International describing it arsenic "reckless".

Infantino - nan man down nan caller 32-team Club World Cup format - has based on that staging nan World Cup successful nan Gulf kingdom tin beryllium a catalyst for societal improvements.

Saudi Arabia has faced years of scrutiny complete its quality authorities and biology record. Its World Cup bid was backed by nan Football Association successful December aft it received assurances that each fans would beryllium welcome.

The Saudi bid for nan World Cup was unopposed, arsenic Australia - nan only different imaginable campaigner - decided not to participate nan running, hinting it was futile to do truthful aft being fixed little than a period by Fifa to equine a challenge.

Fifa stood by a fast-tracked process that critics based on lacked transparency. They suggested it efficaciously paved nan measurement for nan Saudis acknowledgment to a determination that only bids from Asia and Oceania would beryllium considered.

Serbia midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who joined Al-Hilal from Lazio successful 2023, was asked astir nan disapproval players person received successful leaving Europe for nan riches of nan Middle East.

"Let's spot now if they will criticise us," he said. "We showed them it's not for illustration they are speaking astir nan league.

"We show against Real Madrid, Salzburg, Pachuca and tonight. I dream we will proceed to show it."

Former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who scored successful other time, added: "We knew it would beryllium difficult against 1 of nan champion successful nan world.

"We wanted to show our talents. We are truthful happy because we wanted to show Al-Hilal had nan talent to beryllium here."

The group shape had been plain sailing for City, winning each 3 games, but they fell astatine nan first knockout hurdle pursuing a haphazard protect display.

Pep Guardiola's broadside were often opened up connected nan counter-attack and were made to salary heavy for their sloppiness astatine some ends of nan transportation - failing to return a big of first-half chances.

"It wasn't a fluke but really worrying signs for Guardiola," erstwhile City goalkeeper Shay Given said connected Dazn. "They could person scored moreover more. It is simply a existent interest nan chances they gave up."

For Guardiola, nan task now is to benignant retired those issues earlier nan Premier League opener astatine Wolves connected 16 August.

He said: "It was a difficult game. We allowed them to make transitions but we created a lot. It is simply a pity - we person been connected unthinkable travel together and truthful bully place. The vibe was really good.

"We would person loved to person continued. We had a emotion that nan squad is doing good but we spell location and now it is clip to remainder and remainder our minds for nan caller season."