Miami's Hard Rock Stadium was the stage for Xabi Alonso's eagerly awaited debut as Real Madrid coach, but the Spanish giants were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal in their FIFA Club World Cup opener. Earlier on Wednesday, Manchester City bolstered their Group H hopes with a solid win.
Federico Valverde had an opportunity to snatch victory in stoppage time, but his penalty was brilliantly saved, forcing Real to share the spoils with their Saudi rivals. The draw leaves Los Blancos with a single point from their first match.
Alonso shook up his lineup by handing debuts to new signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, yet the absence of top scorer Kylian Mbappe, sidelined by illness, was clear to see. In their place, 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia seized his chance, capitalising on a slick Rodrygo pass to break the deadlock just after 30 minutes.
Al-Hilal, guided by new coach Simone Inzaghi, responded before halftime when Ruben Neves converted a penalty awarded after a foul on Raul Asencio. The Saudi side's disciplined performance earned them a deserved draw against one of football's powerhouses.
"The first half wasn't as good as the second one," Alonso reflected post-match. "In the second half we had better chances, better control. We could have won, but this is a step in building something."
As Real Madrid regroup, fans will be watching closely to see how Alonso refines his tactics and integrates his new players. With Group H still wide open, every point will count in the race for Club World Cup glory.
Reference(s):
Real Madrid held by Al-Hilal after Man City grab win at Club World Cup
cgtn.com
