Real Madrid Held to 1-1 Draw by Al-Hilal in Club World Cup Opener
Miami, FL – Real Madrid’s FIFA Club World Cup journey kicked off with a surprising 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal on Wednesday. In a thrilling Group H encounter at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, new coach Xabi Alonso’s debut was overshadowed by a missed stoppage-time penalty from Federico Valverde.
The atmosphere was electric as over 62,000 fans packed the stadium, most eagerly supporting the Spanish giants. Real Madrid took the lead in the 31st minute when Gonzalo Garcia, stepping up in the absence of the ill Kylian Mbappé, coolly slotted home after a clever assist from Rodrygo.
Al-Hilal, however, refused to back down. Under the guidance of their new manager Simone Inzaghi, they fought back fiercely. Just before halftime, Ruben Neves converted a penalty to level the scores, capitalizing on a foul by Raul Asencio.
The second half saw Real Madrid pressing hard for a winner. Alonso introduced new signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, aiming to tip the balance. Their efforts seemed to pay off when, deep into stoppage time, Valverde stepped up to take a penalty after Mohammed Al Qahtani was penalized for a foul on Fran Garcia.
But destiny had other plans. Al-Hilal’s goalkeeper Yassine Bounou heroically saved Valverde’s spot-kick, securing a valuable point for his team. The final whistle blew to a chorus of cheers and sighs, reflecting the mixed emotions in the stands.
“The second half was much better. We created more chances and had better control,” Alonso reflected after the match. “We have the principles to start building something, but we could have won.”
Over in Philadelphia, Manchester City got off to a flying start with a 2-0 win against Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in Group G. Phil Foden struck early in the second minute, taking advantage of a goalkeeper’s error, and Jeremy Doku extended the lead just before the break.
Despite the sweltering conditions and an unfortunate red card for Rico Lewis, City manager Pep Guardiola remained upbeat. “We had good moments and many new players,” he said. “The first game in this group stage is really important. We have a lot of new players and injured players back; step by step, we’ll get to the right tempo.”
The day’s other matches saw Juventus cruising to a 5-0 victory over the UAE’s Al-Ain in Washington, while Austria’s Salzburg edged out Mexico’s Pachuca 2-1 in Cincinnati.
