Real Madrid had a frustrating start to their Club World Cup campaign on Wednesday, drawing 1-1 with Saudi side Al Hilal in Miami. The result marked the first game in charge for newly appointed head coach Xabi Alonso. Meanwhile, Manchester City and Juventus recorded confident wins in their respective group matches, setting the pace early in the tournament.
Madrid’s outing at the Hard Rock Stadium drew over 62,000 fans, many of whom hoped to see a winning debut from Alonso. However, things didn’t quite go to plan. The Spanish giants were without Kylian Mbappe, sidelined due to illness, which opened the door for 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia. The youngster didn’t disappoint, scoring in the 31st minute after a well-placed assist from Rodrygo.
Al Hilal responded swiftly. A penalty, awarded after a foul by Raul Asencio, allowed Ruben Neves to equalize just before halftime. Real had a golden opportunity to reclaim the lead deep in stoppage time after Mohammed Al Qahtani was penalized for a hand to Fran Garcia’s face. But Federico Valverde’s penalty was denied by Yassine Bounou, leaving Madrid to settle for a point.
Elsewhere in Group H, Austria’s RB Salzburg claimed a 2-1 win over Mexico’s Pachuca in Cincinnati. Their match was delayed by a storm but resumed after a 97-minute break.
Manchester City got off to a smooth start in Group G with a 2-0 win over Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia. Phil Foden wasted no time, scoring within two minutes, and Jeremy Doku added a second from a Foden corner just before halftime. The game was played under tough humidity, and while City’s Rico Lewis was sent off late on for a dangerous tackle, Pep Guardiola was happy with his team’s control and intensity. He also hinted at squad rotations for their next game against Al Ain in Atlanta.
Juventus delivered the most dominant performance of the day, crushing the UAE side Al Ain 5-0 in Washington. Earlier in the day, the team visited former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. On the pitch, Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both scored twice, with Kenan Yildiz also finding the net. Juve now tops Group G and looks poised to advance comfortably.
The action continues Thursday with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami taking on Porto and Paris Saint-Germain facing Brazil’s Botafogo.
By Yockshard Enyendi
