Saudi club Al Hilal delivered a stunning upset by eliminating English Premier League giant Manchester City from the FIFA Club World Cup with a dramatic 4-3 victory in the Round of 16. The enthralling clash took place at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, marking a significant moment as Simone Inzaghi, now managing Al Hilal, secured a victory over Pep Guardiola, a manager he previously faced in high-profile matches like the 2023 Champions League final.

The match was a thrilling encounter from start to finish. Manchester City, the Premier League holders and overwhelming favorites, took an early lead in the 9th minute through Bernardo Silva, who finished a well-worked move. However, the goal was not without controversy, as officials reportedly missed a handball offence by Rayan Ait-Nouri in the build-up. Despite City's domination in possession and creating numerous chances, they were repeatedly thwarted by Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, whose crucial saves kept his side in contention.

Al Hilal, under Simone Inzaghi, gradually found their rhythm, leveraging their pace on the counterattack. The second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum. Marcos Leonardo headed home the equalizer shortly after the restart, followed by Brazilian winger Malcom capitalizing on a defensive lapse to put Al Hilal 2-1 ahead. Manchester City responded swiftly, with Erling Haaland leveling the score at 2-2 after a poor clearance from Kalidou Koulibaly.

With the score tied after 90 minutes, the game proceeded into 30 minutes of extra time. The Blue Waves drew first blood in extra time when Kalidou Koulibaly redeemed himself with a header. Yet again, City struck back almost immediately, with Phil Foden converting from a tight angle after a brilliant lofted assist from substitute Rayan Cherki, bringing the score to 3-3. In a nail-biting finale, Marcos Leonardo sealed the victory for Al Hilal, bagging his second goal of the night by tapping in a rebound after Ederson parried an initial shot from Sergei Milinkovic-Savic.

The 4-3 result sent shockwaves across the football world. For Manchester City, this unexpected exit is a major blow, exposing defensive vulnerabilities that have lingered in their 2024/25 season and reigniting concerns over their consistency and defensive solidity for Pep Guardiola. Conversely, for Simone Inzaghi, the win marks a perfect start to his tenure at Al Hilal, representing a significant personal triumph. Al Hilal now advances with confidence to face Brazilian giants Fluminense in the quarter-finals, after Fluminense secured a victory over Inzaghi's former side, Inter Milan, earlier in the evening.

The biggest indirect beneficiary of this upset appears to be Chelsea, the only remaining English team in the competition. Following Manchester City's elimination, Chelsea's path to the Club World Cup final has become theoretically easier, as they will avoid facing strong contenders like Manchester City or Inter Milan. Chelsea will play Palmeiras in their quarter-final tie and, should they win, would face the winner between Al Hilal and Fluminense.