City exit FIFA Club World Cup after extra-time defeat to Al-Hilal | OneFootball

Manchester City are out of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 after a 4-3 extra-time defeat to Al-Hilal in Orlando.

Bernardo Silva opened the scoring just nine minutes into what would prove an eventful night at a hot and humid Camping World Stadium.

Al-Hilal responded with two goals in the first six minutes of the second half through Marcos Leonardo and Malcom before Erling Haaland quickly equalised.

The Saudi Arabian side again took the lead early in extra time through Kalidou Koulibaly before Phil Foden’s 100th City goal pulled us level

However, it was Leonardo who proved the match winner late on for Al-Hilal.

What happened

City enjoyed the best of it early on and should perhaps have taken the lead just six minutes in.

It was the lightning quick feet of Jeremy Doku that carved the opening, going around Joao Cancelo on the left wing and chipping into the middle for Ruben Dias.

But the defender could only direct his header straight at Yassine Bounou in the Al-Hilal goal.

We didn’t have to wait long for the opener though, with Bernardo Silva tapping home in the 10th minute.

Rayan Ait-Nouri’s powerful run and cross was only cleared into the path of our captain a few yards from goal, who adjusted his feet in time to nudge past the diving Bounou.

A VAR check for handball and lengthy Al-Hilal protestations followed, but the goal stood.

Much of our best football came down the left, where Ait-Nouri and Doku have already struck up a promising relationship in this tournament.

It was the latter who had our next major opening, cutting in from his left wing position and aiming a shot at the far post that didn’t have the curl required.

Savinho, stationed on the right but given permission to roam inside, will also feel he could have had our second when he found himself one on one with Bounou.

Despite being down on the floor, the Moroccan goalkeeper, who has garnered a reputation as one of the world’s best in recent years, stuck out a hand that diverted Savinho’s shot to safety as the Brazilian looked certain to score.

Bounou was the Al-Hilal hero once more in the 29th minute, rushing out to deny Ilkay Gundogan after the midfielder had been played in by Savinho.

The two wingers were running their markers ragged by this point and linked up again in the 38th minute when Savinho made the by-line and aimed a cross at Doku, who volleyed straight into Bounou’s grateful clutches.

Al-Hilal twice reminded us of their threat on the break shortly before half-time though, with right winger Malcom centring the ball for striker Leonardo to head over before cutting in and striking a shot of his own that was deflected wide.

City didn’t heed those warning signs and the scores were level less than a minute after the restart when Leonardo nodded into an empty net after Ederson’s punch was deflected up to him.

The tables were turned a few minutes later, as Al-Hilal cleared a corner and played in Malcom to burst forward and squeeze the ball beyond Ederson and inside the far post.

That rallied City and the scores were level in the 56th minute as Haaland was the quickest to pounce on a loose ball following a wicked Bernardo corner.

Another scare followed almost immediately, with Malcom again bursting forward and going down after a Dias slide tackle.

Referee Jesus Valenzuela pointed to the spot, only to be alerted to the offside flag raised against Al-Hilal's tricky winger.

Every attack from that point looked likely to produce a goal, whether for City or Al-Hilal.

As full-time neared, City pushed our opponents further and further back.

In fact, it was only with a matter of inches to spare that substitute Ali Lajami was able to hook clear a Haaland touch from close range.

That agonising near-miss was as close as we got to a winner before the final whistle blew.

Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush were introduced at the start of extra time to give City a boost and it looked like it might work immediately when Cherki burst into space and hammered an effort narrowly wide.

Instead, it was Al-Hilal who drew first blood in extra time when imposing centre back Kalidou Koulibaly rose highest to nod home.

With the game hanging by a thread and midnight in the US fast approaching, City again drew level shortly before half-time in extra time thanks to a delightful Cherki cross and expert Foden finish.

That strike marked Foden's 100th in a City shirt - making him just the 20th man in our history to the landmark and only the second member of the current squad after Haaland.

It mattered for little in the end as Leonardo sealed the winner when Ederson's parried save from a powerful header went into the Brazilian's stomach for him to touch in.

Teams

CITY XI: Ederson, Nunes (Akanji 53), Dias, Gvardiol (Ake 53), Ait-Nouri, Gundogan (Rodri 53 - Foden 100), Reijnders (Cherki 90), Bernardo (C), Savinho, Doku, Haaland (Marmoush 90)

Subs: Bettinelli, Ortega, Stones, Nico, Reis, Khusanov, Bobb, O'Reilly

AL-HILAL XI: Bounou, Cancelo (Musab 88), Koulibaly, Moteb, Lodi, Neves, Dawsari, Kanno (Lajami 82), Malcom (Kaio 64), Milinkovic-Savic, Leonardo

Subs: Khalifah, Abdulayhi, Alghannam, Y. Shahrani, Alqahtani, Hadhood, Hamad, Alyami, Ahmed

Pep Guardiola reaction

The boss’ thoughts will follow shortly.

What it means

City exit the FIFA Club World Cup at the Round of 16 stage.

The players will have a break before returning to training at the City Football Academy ahead of the 2025/26 domestic season.