Sports Correspondent

In a dramatic and unforgettable clash in Orlando, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal pulled off a stunning 4-3 extra-time victory over English giants Manchester City on Monday night, booking their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals against Brazilian side Fluminense.

Marcos Leonardo sealed the upset with his second goal in the 112th minute, capping a thrilling encounter where Al-Hilal repeatedly outpaced and outsmarted the reigning Premier League champions.

City initially took control with an early opener in the ninth minute when Bernardo Silva bundled home from close range after a deflected clearance fell kindly for him. Despite Al-Hilal’s appeals for handball in the buildup involving Rayan Ait-Nouri, the goal stood.

The momentum shifted swiftly after the break. Al-Hilal drew level seconds into the second half as Malcom’s quick run and low cross found Joao Cancelo, whose blocked shot rebounded kindly for Leonardo to head into an open net.

Just six minutes later, Malcom turned scorer, breaking free of the City backline and finishing coolly past Ederson after a pinpoint pass from Cancelo.

Manchester City responded through Erling Haaland, who headed in from a Silva corner in the 55th minute, levelling the match once again. The game pushed into extra-time after both sides failed to find a winner in regulation.

Al-Hilal struck first in the added period, with Kalidou Koulibaly rising high to glance in a Ruben Neves corner in the 94th minute. But City clawed their way back once again, as Phil Foden met a clever cross from Rayan Cherki with a superb volley to make it 3-3.

The decisive moment came with just seven minutes remaining. After Ederson parried a header from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Leonardo reacted quickly and steered home the rebound despite losing his footing — securing a famous victory for the Riyadh-based club.

“We knew it was a difficult game against one of the best teams in the world,” said Koulibaly after the match. “We wanted to show our ideas, our talent, our power and I think that we made a very good game. Defensively we were very strong and offensively all of the opportunities we could put inside we put in, so we can be happy.”

Al-Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou also played a key role, making several critical saves before the Saudi side seized control of the second half and extra-time.

The result sends shockwaves through the tournament and underlines Al-Hilal’s growing presence on the global football stage.