In the FIFA Club World Cup, last night’s match between Spain’s Real Madrid and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal ended in a 1-1 draw. The match, played in front of over 62,000 spectators at the Miami Hard Rock Stadium, saw Real Madrid’s newly appointed coach Zabi Alonso give Trent Alexander-Arnold a chance in the starting lineup. In a competitive game, Al Hilal scored early against Real Madrid, but the referee ruled it offside.
Real Madrid, 15-time European champions, took the lead in the 34th minute when Gonzalo Garcia scored from a cross by Rodrygo. However, with four minutes left in regular time, Al Hilal equalized through a penalty converted by Ruben Neves. Under the guidance of their newly appointed Italian coach Simone Inzaghi, Al Hilal put up a good performance, despite facing the tournament without their trusted forward Aleksandar Mitrovic due to injury.
Real Madrid’s forward Kylian Mbappe missed the match due to a severe cold, and his absence was clearly felt in the team’s forward line. Although Real Madrid had the opportunity to win, Federico Valverde’s penalty in extra time was saved by Al Hilal’s Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, securing a point for his team.
