Fluminense eliminate Al Hilal to reach Club World Cup semis

Fluminense eliminate Al Hilal to reach Club World Cup semis

Main Image

<p>-

  • Fluminense eliminate Al Hilal to reach Club World Cup semis</p>

<p>Field Level MediaJuly 4, 2025 at 8:19 PM</p>

<p>Jun 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Fluminense FC midfielder Martinelli (8) control the ball during the second half during a round of 16 match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images (Scott Kinser-Imagn Images)</p>

<p>Substitute Hercules scored his second goal in as many second-half appearances to lift Fluminense into the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 quarterfinal win over Al Hilal on Friday in Orlando, Fla.</p>

<p>Martinelli also scored late in the first half to continue a fabulous tournament for the Rio de Janeiro club and Brazil overall. Palmeiras also got to the quarterfinals before falling 2-1 on Friday to Chelsea, who will oppose Fluminense on Tuesday in a semifinal match at East Rutherford, N.J.</p>

<p>Al Hilal exits despite a fourth tournament goal for striker Marcos Leonardo, who was in for the injured Aleksandar Mitrovic.</p>

<p>The Saudi side was the last from Asia remaining, having pulled off the tournament's biggest upset with a 4-3, extra-time victory over Manchester City in the second round on Monday.</p>

<p>Hercules put Fluminense in front for good in the 70th minute when he was rewarded for his own persistence.</p>

<p>After his first long-range shot was deflected high into the air, he continued his run forward as teammate Samuel Xavier won the next header.</p>

<p>It landed at the feet of Hercules, whose wonderful first touch put him in shooting position before his second sent a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner, prompting jubilation from yet another pro-Brazilian crowd at this tournament.</p>

<p>Al Hilal pressured Fluminense in the dying stages, but couldn't create a clear look on Fabio's net.</p>

<p>Martinelli put Fluminense in front in the 40th minute on a brilliant strike. His first touch took Gabriel Fuentes' pass beyond a charging Al Hilal defender, and his second unleashed a ferocious left-footed shot that beat goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to the top right corner from about 15 yards.</p>

<p>A minute into first-half stoppage time, Fluminense keeper Fabio sprawled to his left to push Kalidou Koulibaly's powerful header beyond the post.</p>

<p>After nearly leveling before halftime, Koulibaly won another dangerous header six minutes into the second half from a corner.</p>

<p>This time it landed at the feet of Leonardo, who balanced himself and scooped a finish from close range past Fabio and two defenders on the line.</p>

<p>It remained level four minutes later when Bounou sprawled to his right to take the ball off the feet of German Cano trying to round him on the dribble after intercepting a pass deep in the attacking half.</p>

<p>Liverpool FC and Portugal national team star Diogo Joto and his brother Andre Silva, who died Thursday in Spain in a car accident, were honored with a pregame moment of silence.</p>

<p>Cameras showed Al Hilal starters and Portuguese compatriots Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo fighting off tears during the observance.</p>

<p>--Field Level Media</p>

Read original article


Source: AOL Sports

Читать на сайте


Source: AsherMag

Read More >> Full Article on Source: Astro Blog

#LALifestyle #USCelebrities

 

NOVA CELEBS © 2015 | Distributed By My Blogger Themes | Designed By Templateism.com