Al Hilal, Fluminense Pull Off Shocks at Club World Cup

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal have sent English giants Manchester City crashing out of the Club World Cup, snatching a shock 4-3 victory in extra time in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.

The match finished 2-2 at full-time on Monday, but at the end of an eventful extra-time, Marcos Leonardo grabbed the winner and pulled off one of the greatest wins in Middle Eastern football history.

Al Hilal’s historic victory makes them the first Asian club to beat a European club in a FIFA tournament.

Al Hilal’s coach, Simone Inzaghi, who only joined the club a few weeks after guiding Inter Milan to the UEFA Champions League final in May, likened the challenge to climbing the world’s tallest mountain.

“The key to this result was the players, and the heart they put on the pitch tonight,” the 49-year-old Italian said.

“We had to do something extraordinary because we all know Manchester City, that team. We had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen and we made it.”

The Saudi club now advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face Brazilian club Fluminense, ensuring a non-European team will reach the last four.

Fluminense reached the quarterfinals with a stunning 2–0 win over Inter Milan as German Cano’s early goal and Hercules’s stoppage-time strike toppled the Champions League runners-up.

- Al Jazeera