Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia managed a valuable draw against European champion Real Madrid in their first match of the Club World Cup.
Al Hilal tied 1-1 with Real Madrid in the Group H opener of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, held on the 19th (Korean time) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, USA. This match, which marked the debut of newly appointed coach Simone Inzaghi, signaled a positive start as the team maintained a balanced flow against Real with organized defense and relentless pressure.
From the early stages of the first half, Al Hilal applied aggressive pressure, boosting their momentum with consecutive shots from Sergej Milinković-Savić and Leonardo. In the 18th minute of the first half, a shot from Roji shook the net, but it was canceled due to offside.
The first goal was recorded by Real. In the 34th minute of the first half, Gonzalo García finished off a cross from Rodrygo, scoring a goal. However, Al Hilal immediately countered. In the 39th minute of the first half, Markus Leonardo drew a foul inside the penalty box, and Rúben Neves calmly converted the equalizer as the kicker.
The contest continued in the second half. Goalkeeper Bono saved consecutive shots from Arda Güler and García, pulling the team out of crisis, and late in the second half, a foul by Al Qatani led to a penalty kick being awarded to Real. However, Bono saved Federico Valverde's kick, negating a critical moment.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw. Al Hilal gained one point after overcoming multiple crises in a game where most of Real's starters participated, proving their capability in the first official match under Coach Inzaghi.
Al Hilal, belonging to Group H, has group stage matches remaining against CF Pachuca (Mexico) and Red Bull Salzburg (Austria).
After the match, Simone Inzaghi, the coach of Al Hilal, said, "Today's game saw the team move very organized and show a great performance against Real Madrid. I couldn't demand more from the players. I'm very satisfied at the moment, but I want to continue to improve going forward."
He continued, "The fact that we shared possession almost equally means that we were able to establish our presence on the field. The game was open, and we had several opportunities as well. A penalty kick was awarded in the 90th minute of the second half, but Real also created many chances in the second half. We couldn't completely control that flow."
Regarding the players' performances, he praised, "I'm proud of the contributions from Salem Al-Dawsari, Hasan Tambakti, and Nasser Al-Dawsari. These three players showed great enthusiasm despite hearing about their participation only three days prior, and they hold significant value within the team. Their performance today proved that Arab players have excellent quality."
Concerning the injury to the starting striker Mitrović, he stated, "He received a light hit and we need to check his condition," and about Markus Leonardo, he evaluated, "He played a very good game today and drew a penalty kick. It could have been a match where he could have converted several opportunities into goals."
Discussing the performance of goalkeeper Yassine Bono, he remarked, "I already knew his capabilities. The performance he showed today is not surprising at all. He provides stability to our defense and allows us to play more comfortably. I'm very glad to work with a goalkeeper like Bono."
[OSEN]