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Fluminense Edges Al-hilal 2-1 to Advance in FIFA Club World Cup 2025
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World Cup 2025 wiht a 2-1 victory over Al-Hilal. Goals from Martinelli and Hércules secure the semi-final spot.">
Orlando, Florida – In a thrilling quarterfinal matchup at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Fluminense of Brazil defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal 2-1 on Friday, July 4th, securing their spot in the tournament’s semi-finals [[3]]. The tense match, held at Camping World stadium, saw goals from Matheus Martinelli and Hércules for Fluminense, while Marcos Leonardo scored for Al-Hilal [[1]].
Match Highlights: Fluminense vs. Al-Hilal
The match began with a moment of silence observed by players and fans in honour of Portuguese striker Diogo Jota of Liverpool and his younger brother, Andre Silva, who tragically died in a car accident on Thursday.
Fluminense took the lead in the first half with a goal from Matheus Martinelli. Gabriel Fuentes capitalized on a misclearance by Al-Hilal’s João Cleanico, setting up Martinelli, who scored with a long-range strike into the upper right corner.
Al-Hilal responded in the second half when Koulalia found Marcos Leonardo, who quickly fired home from close range, leveling the score.
Hércules,who had previously scored the winning goal against Milan in the last 16,came off the bench and scored again,securing the victory for Fluminense. He took a grate touch in the area and fired into the lower corner.
A penalty was initially awarded to Al-Hilal after Samuel Xavier of Fluminense appeared to have fouled Leonardo in the area. Though, after review, the call was overturned, deemed “normal football contact.”
Key Moments and Player Performances
- Matheus Martinelli: Scored the opening goal for Fluminense with a brilliant long-range strike.
- Hércules: Scored the winning goal after coming off the bench.
- Marcos Leonardo: Scored the equalizing goal for Al-Hilal in the second half.
- Fábio: Made a crucial save in the first half, denying Kalidou Koulibaly.
Did You Know? Fluminense entered the tournament as one of the biggest long shots, according to Captain Tiago Silva.
Post-Match Reactions
“Many people did not believe in our potential, our team. Every game and every step we proved we can be
