Inter Milan and Manchester City were surprisingly knocked out of the FIFA Club World Cup last 16 round. The Nerazzurri were beaten 2-0 by Fluminense, while Man City were stunned 4-3 by Al Hilal in extra time.
Inter Knocked Out by Fluminense
La Beneamata’s search for a trophy ended in woe again following their elimination in the FIFA Club World Cup tournament. Christian Chivu’s team crashed out in the last 16 after suffering a 2-0 defeat against Brazilian side Fluminense.
Keen on advancing into the next round, the Nerazzurri found themselves in trouble soon after kick-off as their opponent immediately went a goal up. Renato Gaucho’s side went ahead after just three minutes of play through German Cano.
That early goal gives Fluminense a tactical advantage as they can absorb Inter’s pressure and play more on the break. Despite the Italian side’s flurry of attacking attempts, Fluzao managed to hold on tight before eventually securing their victory with a second goal, netted by Hercules deep in stoppage time.
Man City Stunned by Al Hilal
In another tie, Manchester City were also experiencing a similar result as Inter during their CWC last 16 tie against Al Hilal. Pep Guardiola’s side saw their journey in the tournament end earlier than expected, despite dominating the game and getting an early lead.
Man City went one goal up during the first 45 minutes through Bernardo Silva after just nine minutes of play. However, City’s failure to convert their chances in that first half cost them dearly in the end.
Al Hilal bounced back in the second half as they turned things around with goals from Marcos Leonardo and Malcom. Man City managed to draw level with a goal from Erling Haaland, making the scoreline 2-2 in regular time.
Despite their enormous pressure during the 2×15 period, Man City continue to struggle defensively against Al Hilal’s counterattack. Simone Inzaghi’s men went on to shock everyone as they scored two more goals in extra time.
Kalidou Koulibaly and Leonardo’s second gave Al Hilal that surprise result as City only managed to score one back from Phil Foden’s effort. It was another disappointing outcome for Man City, who, just like Inter, failed to win any trophy this past season.
