Al Hilal, Club World Cup, Flamengo, Saudi Arabia

Al Hilal Saudi Arabia makes history and reaches the final of the Club World Cup

February 8, 2023

Goals: Flamengo RJ – Al Hilal FC – Played on 02/07/ 2023

Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia made history by qualifying for the FIFA Club World Cup final in Morocco, after its exciting victory over Brazilian Flamengo (3-2), on Tuesday evening, at Tangier Stadium.

Salem Al-Dosari scored the first two goals for Al-Hilal from two penalty kicks in the 4th and 45th + 9 minutes, and Luciano Vietto added the third goal for the leader in the 70th minute, while Pedro scored Flamengo’s two goals in the 20th and 90th + 1 minutes.

This is the first time that Al-Hilal has advanced to the final match, after participating in the tournament for the third time, to await the winner of the other semi-final confrontation between Real Madrid and Al-Ahly of Egypt.

first half

Al-Hilal pressed strongly offensively in the first minutes and got a penalty kick after Vito was blocked by Flamengo defender Matthews Silva, so Salem Al-Dossary took care of implementing it and inhabiting the net.

Flamengo tried offensively to adjust the score, but the defense leader and goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf confronted the Brazilian attempts.

The referee issued a yellow card to Gerson Santos, the Flamengo player, after claiming he fell inside the penalty area in an attempt to get a penalty kick, in the 15th minute.

The 20th minute carried the equalizing goal for Flamengo by Pedro, after he received a pass from his teammate Matthews Silva inside the penalty area, to shoot directly with his right into the net.

Flamengo dominated the ball greatly and attacked constantly to score a second goal, but Al-Maouf and Al-Hilal’s defense was on time, so the tie (1-1) remained in place after 35 minutes had passed.

The referee awarded a penalty kick in favor of Al-Hilal after returning to the VAR technique after Vietto was blocked inside the penalty area by Flamengo defender Gerson Santos, who received the second yellow card and left the stadium expelled.

Second half

Flamengo coach Vitor Pereira made two substitutions, with the entry of Eric Polgar and Fabricio Bruno, and the exits of Georgian de Arascaita and Leo Pereira.

Flamengo took control of the ball and tried offensively to adjust the score, but nothing new, before Al Hilal returned again and the Brazilian team exchanged attacks without yielding anything.

In the 57th minute, Ramon Diaz, coach of Al Hilal, pushed the Brazilian Michel Delgado and directed his Nigerian striker Ighalo to activate the offensive side.

The left-back, Khalifa Al-Dosari, missed an opportunity to score in the 59th minute, after a wonderful individual effort from Marija, who skillfully passed Flamengo defenders inside the penalty area and passed the ball to Al-Dosari, whose shot was returned by the crossbar.

Al-Hilal had more than one opportunity through quick counter-attacks, but without real benefit, before Vito added the leader’s third goal in the 70th minute, after receiving a wonderful pass from Salem Al-Dosari, to fire a powerful shot into the net.

Al-Hilal players showed off their skills, controlled the ball in the remaining minutes, and reached the Flamengo goal more than once, but they did not take advantage of these attacks by scoring a fourth goal.

Pedro ignited the confrontation again in the first minute of stoppage time, by scoring the second goal for his team after he followed Gabriel Barbosa’s shot, which hit the defense and went to him to put it into the empty net.

Flamengo pressed hard in the remaining minutes, and Salem Al-Dosari missed an opportunity to add the fourth goal, so the match ended with a historic qualification for Al-Hilal for the World Cup final.