FIFA Club World Cup: Real Madrid disappointingly draws with Al-Hilal on opening day

(NLDO) - Highly rated, but the confrontation with Al-Hilal seems to become a nightmare for Real Madrid in the opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

In the opening match of Group H in Miami (USA) in the early morning of June 18, Real Madrid disappointed when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Hilal, despite having more chances and even having the chance to take the lead with a penalty in extra time.

Jude Bellingham dribbles past Al-Hilal defenders

Rated superior in terms of force, Real Madrid entered the match with a strong squad under the direction of new coach Xabi Alonso. However, the hot weather in Florida (about 33°C) had a significant impact on the La Liga representative's playing style, causing them to start slowly and lack innovation.

Gonzalo García opens the scoring for Real Madrid

After more than half an hour of deadlocked play, Real Madrid unexpectedly opened the scoring in the 34th minute. From a quick combination on the right wing, Rodrygo made a delicate pass for young striker Gonzalo García to run down and finish delicately, sending the ball beyond the reach of Al-Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Young star Gonzalo García scored on the day he replaced Kylian Mbappe

However, the joy of the Royal team did not last long. In the 41st minute, center back Raul Asencio let the ball touch his hand in the penalty area and the referee did not hesitate to point to the penalty spot.

On the 11m mark, midfielder Rúben Neves fooled goalkeeper Andryi Lunin, equalizing 1-1 for Al-Hilal.

The referee awarded Al-Hilal a penalty after Raul Asencio committed a foul

Ruben Neves equalizes 1-1 for Al-Hilal

In the second half, Real Madrid increased their attack with the presence of stars such as Arda Güler and Federico Valverde. The white team continuously pressed the field, creating many dangerous opportunities. In the 75th minute, Güler had a beautiful curling shot that hit the post just wide, missing the chance to increase the score.

The climax came in injury time when VAR determined that defender Al-Hilal pulled Brahim Diaz's shirt in the penalty area and the referee awarded Real Madrid a penalty. However, on the 11m mark, Valverde's shot was too weak, allowing goalkeeper Bounou to easily block, causing Real Madrid to miss the opportunity to win all 3 points.

Valverde took a penalty kick, but was blocked by goalkeeper Bounou.

The 1-1 draw meant Xabi Alonso had an incomplete debut as Real Madrid's new head coach. "We need to learn how to take advantage of opportunities and control better at key moments. Everything is still within our reach," Alonso said after the match.

As for Al-Hilal, the Saudi Arabian representative showed clear progress with disciplined and well-organized play under the guidance of new coach Simone Inzaghi. Goalkeeper Bounou and midfielder Neves were two outstanding individuals, contributing greatly to the points gained against a championship candidate.

Real Madrid unhappy after being held to a draw in the opening match

With this result, Real Madrid and Al-Hilal share second place in the group, while the temporary leader is RB Salzburg after a 2-0 win over Pachuca. In the next match, Real Madrid will face Pachuca, while Al-Hilal will face Salzburg - a match that promises to decide the ticket to the knockout round.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/fifa-club-world-cup-real-madrid-hoa-that-vong-al-hilal-ngay-ra-quan-196250619061337932.htm