90min
·8 February 2023
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Yahoo sports90min
·8 February 2023
Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo suffered elimination from the Club World Cup as they were beaten 3-2 by Saudi Arabia side Al Hilal on Tuesday.
Two penalties from Salem Al Dawsari and another effort from Luciano Vietto helped Al Hilal spring the upset against Flamengo, who had equalised through Pedro before Gerson gave away a penalty and was sent off just before half time.
The win made Al Hilal the first Saudi side ever to reach the final of the Club World Cup, dumping out Brazilians Flamengo after beating Wydad Casablanca on penalties in the second round.
The loss stings a little more sharply for Arturo Vidal, a current Mengao midfielder who previously played for Barcelona. The Chilean had taunted Real Madrid over a potential showdown in the competition's final on Saturday.
During October's Copa Libertadores celebrations, Vidal had claimed ‘Madrid, we are going to break your arses’ and ‘Your [Madrid’s] time will come’.
He came on as a substitute on Tuesday with his side 3-1 down and helped them claw a goal back, but not enough to wipe out the deficit.
Vidal suffered Champions League heartbreak at the hands of Real in 2017 when he was sent off in the quarter finals for Bayern Munich in an eventual 6-3 aggregate defeat. He later spent two seasons with Barcelona, winning La Liga and the Supercopa de Espana before joining Inter and then Flamengo.
Real will look to book their spot against Al Hilal in the final when they face Al Ahly on Wednesday.