Federico Valverde saw a stoppage-time penalty dramatically saved as Real Madrid were held to a hard-fought 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in their opening FIFA Club World Cup match in Miami on Wednesday.
The draw marked a challenging managerial debut for new Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso and a frustrating first competitive appearance for high-profile signing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Despite the 15-time European champions taking the lead against the run of play, it was Al-Hilal, in their first match under new coach Simone Inzaghi, who looked the more assertive and created the better chances for large periods.
After weathering early pressure, Real Madrid opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark. A swift counter-attack concluded with 21-year-old forward Gonzalo Garcia fortuitously lifting the ball over Al-Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
However, Al-Hilal deservedly equalised four minutes before halftime. Former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves calmly converted from the penalty spot after Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio had pulled back Marcos Leonardo inside the area.
Real Madrid improved after the break, with substitute Arda Guler striking the crossbar and Gonzalo Garcia forcing a brilliant save from Bounou. The defining moment came deep into stoppage time when Real were awarded a penalty after a VAR review for a handball against Mohammed Al-Qahtani. Valverde stepped up, but his spot-kick was superbly pushed away by Bounou to preserve the draw for the Saudi club.
Alonso, who recently replaced Carlo Ancelotti, was without injured French superstar Kylian Mbappe, and his attack often lacked a cutting edge. Defensively, the Spanish giants also appeared vulnerable at times, despite debuts for Alexander-Arnold, who played 65 minutes, and £50 million centre-back signing Dean Huijsen. Al-Hilal’s Brazilian forward Leonardo spurned two clear second-half opportunities that could have secured a famous victory for his side.
The result is an encouraging start for Inzaghi, who took charge just two weeks after his former club, Inter Milan, lost the Champions League final. His new side, marshalled by impressive midfield performances from Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, delivered a display that will give them confidence for the remainder of the tournament.
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