Real Madrid were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw in their FIFA Club World Cup Group H opener against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
A dramatic late penalty save by Yassine Bounou in stoppage time ensured Al Hilal held on for a point, ending Real’s unbeaten run against teams from Saudi Arabia (previously two wins from two).
The match marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Spanish giants, with Xabi Alonso taking charge for the first time as head coach. It also saw debut appearances for Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the iconic white kit.
Al Hilal also entered a new era under the leadership of ex-Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi. His side started brightly, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic testing Thibaut Courtois early on, and Marcos Leonardo missing a golden chance after a neat setup by Salem Al Dawsari.
Renan Lodi appeared to give Al Hilal the lead, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The Saudi side continued to press, and Hassan Tambakti came close with a header from a Ruben Neves corner.
Punch for Punch in Madrid – Al Hilal Game
Despite being under pressure, Real struck first on the counter when Gonzalo Garcia finished off Rodrygo’s excellent cross. However, Al Hilal responded before halftime after Raul Asencio fouled Leonardo in the box, allowing Neves to equalise from the penalty spot.
Asencio’s mistake saw him substituted at the break, with Alonso introducing Arda Guler, who nearly scored shortly after coming on, rattling the crossbar from a Vinicius Junior pass. Garcia also came close again, but Bono stood firm.
In the dying minutes, Real were awarded a penalty after VAR penalised Mohammed Al Qahtani for a handball, offering a chance to seal victory. But Bono produced a brilliant stop to deny Federico Valverde, ensuring Al Hilal came away with a hard-earned draw.
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