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WEDNESDAY | JULY 2, 2025

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Blue Power Inzaghi hails ‘extraordinary’ Al Hilal after shock win over City as Inter crash out of Club World Cup M ANCHESTER CITY crashed out of the Club World Cup with a 4-3 defeat in extra-time by Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, also know as Blue Waves/Blue Power, yesterday in the last 16, hours after Inter Milan were eliminated by Fluminense on a day of shock results. tonight…” he said. Inzaghi had only been in charge of the team for a few days before the opening game where his side drew with Real Madrid and said the credit for the performance belongs with the players.

Al Hilal’s Ali Lajami (bottom) Kalidou Koulibaly celebrate

after winning the Fifa Club World Cup last 16 match against Man City yesterday. – AFPPIC

“It is barely three weeks that we are together and you can see the level of application, they really put the effort in. As a coach clearly that is very satisfying. “The lads delivered that performance, they have reached the quarterfinals,” he said. City won all three of their group stage games and after a 5-2 win over Juventus in their last game before the knockout stage they were viewed as one of the favourites for the title. City boss Pep Guardiola gave credit to Al Hilal but clearly hadn’t seen such an outcome on the horizon. “It is a pity, we have been on an incredible journey together and so good place. The vibe was really good, I cannot thank Manchester City enough and especially the players for training and how they have been playing,” he said. “We would have loved to have continued, you can only be here once every four years, we had a feeling that the team is doing well but we go home and now it is time to rest and rest our minds for the new season,” he said. Elsewhere yesterday, German Cano headed home early on to give Fluminense the lead against Inter Milan and the Brazilian side survived an onslaught from the Serie A team to progress. Substitute Hercules netted late on to seal their win, while a frustrated Inter hit the woodwork twice through Lautaro Martinez and Federico Dimarco. The Rio de Janeiro outfit become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot. “We knew they were not going to be easy opponents. Less than a month ago they were playing the Champions League final, but we played really well,” said 40-year-old “Flu” captain Thiago Silva, once of Paris Saint Germain and Chelsea. It is the latest victory for a Brazilian team against prestigious European opposition at the tournament in the United States, after Botafogo defeated PSG and Flamengo got the better of Chelsea in the group stage. “This is a very important victory for our fans, for all of Brazil, for my country, for South America,” said Jhon Arias, the lively Colombian winger who was named man of the match. Inter, who were thrashed 5-0 by PSG in the Champions League final, appointed Cristian Chivu to replace the departing Inzaghi ahead of the tournament. They did not fully convince during the group stage despite topping their section and a furious Martinez criticised some of his teammates after the game. “I want to fight for the major trophies, (so) anyone who wants to stay at Inter, fine, let’s fight, but anyone who doesn’t want to stay can leave,” said Inter’s captain. “We need players who want to be here. We’re wearing an important shirt… we need a top-level mentality, or please leave.” – AFP

Champions League runners-up Inter were dumped out 2-0 by the Brazilian side in Charlotte and Pep Guardiola’s City joined them after Marcos Leonardo’s brace left the Premier League giants on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller. Al Hilal, who recorded one of the greatest results in Middle Eastern football history, will face Fluminense in Orlando on Saturday in the quarterfinals. Al Hilal’s Italian coach Simone Inzaghi hailed his “extraordinary” team after yesterday’s stunning win. “We knew (we) had to do something extraordinary if we were to beat Manchester City and that is what the boys did tonight, the lads were simply wonderful,” said Inzaghi. “We had to be extraordinary because well, Manchester City, we all know that team. So we had to climb Everest without oxygen to win the game and we made it. “We were great. All the players were exceptional in everything, in the possession phase, non-possession phase,” added the former Inter Milan coach whose previous club were defeated by Fluminense just hours before the kickoff at Camping World Stadium. “It is only right in this moment, this evening, to enjoy this achievement up against the Manchester City of Guardiola. The heart that they put in

Fluminense’s Ignacio (left) in action with Inter Milan’s Federico Dimarco yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

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