The result keeps alive the expectation of a semi Brazilian. This is because the Flu opponent in the next phase will be defined in the duel between Palmeiras and Chelsea (England), later this Friday, at 22h (Brasilia), in Philadelphia.
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The match began without a great chance of danger. The first tricolor kick happened on 18 minutes, when Nonato dissected Kanno and began the counterattack. The midfielder received the Arias ball again, tried to finish, but the ball came out over the goal.
Al-Hilal has reached 26 minutes. After a corner kick, Koulibaly tried the head, but shared with Ignácio, who pushed the ball away.
It was up to a revelation of Xerém to shake the tricolor fans. At 39 minutes, the ball was left over to Fuentes after João Cancelo warders Samuel Xavier’s cross badly. Shirt 12 touched Martinelli, who turned on Milinkovic-Savic and hit a kick from Bono’s left angle.
Martinelli celebrates goal for Fluminense at the Club World Cup – Photo: Marcelo Gonçalves / Fluminense FC
Five minutes later, two scares to Tricolor. Rúben Neves took a free kick at 45, Koulibaly rose alone and headed in the left corner. Fabio made great defense to hold the partial victory of Flu and spread to corner.
In the collection, Marcos Leonardo fell inside the area after touching the leg of Samuel Xavier and Danny Makkelie scored a penalty. But the Dutch referee turned back after being called by VAR and checking the bid in the video.
The judge also spared no yellow cards in the first stage: they were two for the Saudi team and two for the Brazilian. By Flu, Freytes and Martinelli were punished and miss the team in the semifinal match on suspension.
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Al-Hilal began the second stage lifting the ball in the tricolor area. At 5 minutes, Rúben Neves took a corner kick and Koulibaly climbed on his own to straighten his head. The ball arrived at the Brazilian Marcos Leonardo, who dominated and finished to match the scoring.
Marcos Leonardo celebrates goal for Al-Hilal at the Club World Cup-Photo: Heuler Andrey/Diaesportivo/O Globo Agency
Soon after, Germán Cano lost an unbelievable chance. The ball was left to the Argentine after Renan Lordi misses the retreat to the goalkeeper of Al-Hilal. Shirt 14 entered the area alone and, instead of finishing, tried to dribble Bono – which took the best and pushed the ball away.
Germán Cano loses chance after Bono’s defense at the Club World Cup – Photo: Heuler Andrey/Diaesportivo/Agency O Globo
If the first tricolor goal was marked by an old acquaintance of the club, the second came out of a newcomer’s feet. At 24 minutes, Hercules – who entered the break in place of Martinelli – disarmed Marcos Leonardo in the intermediary and kicked, but the ball went up after deflecting Rúben Neves.
In the leftover, Samuel Xavier straightened his head to shirt 35, which broke into the area and kicked cross to put Fluminense in front of again.
Hercules celebrates goal for Fluminense at the Club World Cup – Photo: Lucas Merçon / Fluminense FC
Even in advantage, Flu continued to arrive with danger. At 33 minutes, Arias made a big move on the left, crossed and found Samuel Xavier. The side kicked first, but the strong finish stopped in good defense of Bono, who spread to the corner.
Al-Hilal pressed in the last few minutes, raised the ball in the area several times and charged corner kicks in sequence. In one of them, at the end of the additions, Koulibaly fell into the area and scared the Brazilian team. But the referee claimed simulation of the defender, who received yellow.
Flu’s debut at the Club World Cup ended with score that does not count exactly what the match was. The Brazilian team was better than the German throughout the game in New Jersey, and collected chances of goal. Despite the pressure, he stopped at goalkeeper Kobel and the match ended in a 0-0 tied.
What was not missing was emotion in the second game of Fluminense in the group stage. The Brazilians took the front in New Jersey with Arias; But Jin-Hyun and Won-Sang scored and put the Japanese in the first half. The turn, however, did not shake the flu. Nonato, Freytes and Keno shook the net in the second half and secured the first tricolor victory, 4-2.
Fluminense entered the field against Mamelodi Sundowns in Miami, knowing that a draw would already guarantee the team in the round of 16. And that’s what happened: the teams did not mark, in a departure of little creativity, and the Brazilian advanced in second place in Group F.
