Manchester City suffered a major upset in the Club World Cup, losing 4-3 after extra time to Saudi side Al-Hilal. Despite leading 1-0 at halftime, City collapsed in the second half and couldn’t recover in a chaotic overtime period, with Marcos Leonardo sealing the dramatic win for Al-Hilal.
City had impressed earlier in the tournament, dispatching Wydad Casablanca (2-0), Al-Ain (6-0), and Juventus (5-2). But against Al-Hilal, their defense faltered badly, leaving serious doubts ahead of the new season.
“We tried, we had chances, but they were better in the key moments”
Bernardo Silva admitted the team lost control of key moments: “We didn’t manage transitions well, gave the ball away too easily, and let them run too often.” Despite the disappointment, Silva and manager Pep Guardiola both acknowledged the opponent’s quality, with the coach conceding: “We tried, we had chances, but they were better in the key moments. Congratulations to Al-Hilal.”
A humiliating early exit for the tournament favorites, and a bitter lesson for the English champions.
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