Brazilian club Fluminense have advanced to the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup after securing a 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in their quarter-final clash on Friday. Substitute Hercules scored the winning goal for the Rio de Janeiro club, who will now face English Premier League side Chelsea in the semi-finals in New Jersey on Tuesday.
Fluminense took the lead when Matheus Martinelli scored with a superb finish into the top corner from 16 yards out. Al-Hilal, who produced a major upset by knocking out Manchester City in the previous round, thought they had a chance to equalise from the penalty spot, but the decision was overturned by VAR after it was deemed Samuel Xavier’s contact on Marcos Leonardo was accidental.
However, Leonardo was not to be denied and brought Al-Hilal level, netting his fourth goal of the tournament from close range after a header from Kalidou Koulibaly.
With the match seemingly headed for extra time, Hercules found the decisive goal for Fluminense, slotting a shot into the bottom corner to seal the win.
The victory continues a remarkable run for Fluminense, who are now just two wins away from being crowned world champions despite finishing only four points above the relegation zone in the Brazilian league last season. The team’s success has been built on a solid defence marshalled by 40-year-old former Chelsea captain Thiago Silva and 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio, both of whom were standout performers again.
The match was preceded by emotional scenes as Al-Hilal’s Portuguese players, Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves, were seen in tears during the minute’s silence held for their late international teammate, Diogo Jota.
Despite his team’s elimination, Al-Hilal’s Marcos Leonardo currently stands as the joint-top scorer at the Club World Cup with four goals.
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