Club World Cup: Al Hilal Fan's Hilarious Reaction to Man City Defeat Trends
- Defending champions Manchester City crashed out of the Club World Cup in the last 16 after extra-time defeat to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal
- Despite cruising through the group stage, City’s defensive lapses cost them as they conceded four times and failed to reach the quarter-finals
- One Al Hilal fan was seen celebrating wildly, capturing the shock and joy of their historic victory
Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the Club World Cup by defeating Manchester City 4-3 after extra time on Monday night in Orlando, Florida.
The dramatic win sends Al Hilal into the quarter-finals, where they will face Brazil's Fluminense.
Source: Getty Images
City had taken the early advantage through a ninth-minute strike from Bernardo Silva, but Al Hilal responded in style after the break.
Within six minutes of the restart, Marcos Leonardo and Malcom both found the net to give the Riyadh-based club a surprising lead.
Erling Haaland brought City level again in the 55th minute, but the drama was far from over, per ESPN.
Four minutes into extra time, Kalidou Koulibaly powered in a header from a Rúben Neves corner to restore Al Hilal's advantage.
Phil Foden equalised for Manchester City once more, but Al Hilal had the final say.
Al Hilal fan's crazy celebration goes viral
Marcos Leonardo secured his second goal of the night and the match-winner in the 112th minute, sending Al Hilal fans into wild celebrations inside the stadium.
One fan in particular was spotted in a state of pure jubilation, reflecting the shock and excitement of the historic victory.
He made a choking gesture, probably inspired by NBA players Reggie Miller and Tyrese Haliburton, both of whom have done the celebration to indicate a "choke-job" by their opponents.
Guardiola explains why Man City lost to Al Hilal
Manchester City’s hopes of Club World Cup glory came to an abrupt end after a dramatic 4-3 extra-time defeat to Al Hilal in Orlando, with Pep Guardiola admitting his side lacked the clinical edge to finish the job.
Source: Getty Images
Speaking after the match, the Spaniard said via The Guardian:
“In the end, we have to score and be clinical. They did not create much in the first half — we did but couldn’t finish it. I had a feeling we could go through. We allowed them to make transitions, but we created a lot.”
The City boss also revealed that key midfielder Rodri suffered an injury setback during the match, compounding the disappointment. Despite the defeat, Guardiola praised his team’s efforts:
“It is a pity, we have been on an incredible journey together here and in a good place. The vibe was really good — I cannot thank Manchester City enough, especially the players, for their attitude in training and how they have been playing.”
Erling Haaland reaches 300 career goals
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Manchester City’s Norwegian hit-man, Erling Haaland, etched his name in the annals of football history yet again amid the backdrop of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The striker achieved reached 300 career goals during Man City's victory against Juventus on June 26, finding the back of the net in his typically unorthodox but effective style.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
