Valiant Al Hilal Snatches Draw Against Real Madrid in Club World Cup

Xabi Alonso's first match as Real Madrid's coach concluded in a tense 1-1 draw against Al Hilal at the Club World Cup. The Spanish giants were thwarted by a last-minute penalty save by Al Hilal's goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, who denied Federico Valverde's attempt during stoppage time.

Madrid initially took the lead through Gonzalo Garcia in the 34th minute, but Al Hilal's Ruben Neves swiftly equalized with a penalty of his own seven minutes later. The VAR intervention provided Madrid with a late opportunity, but Valverde's miss kept the game level.

Despite the disappointing result for Alonso, the match highlighted Al Hilal's robustness under new coach Simone Inzaghi. Even in the absence of star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, Al Hilal showcased its potential, suggesting promising times ahead for Saudi Arabian football.

(With inputs from agencies.)