It’s Rio versus Riyadh as the two sides meet in Orlando, with a spot in the semi-finals and a matchup against either Palmeiras or Chelsea on the line. Fluminense delivered a major blow to Inter Milan’s troubled season with an impressive performance in Monday’s last-16 clash. Their tactical discipline combined with relentless energy overwhelmed the Italians early on.
Inter couldn’t cope with Fluminense’s tempo in the opening minutes, and they paid the price when veteran striker German Cano nodded in from close range just three minutes into the game.
Although Inter pushed for an equaliser, with Lautaro Martinez hitting the post and forcing a strong save from 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio, Fluminense held firm. They even found a second goal late on, with Hercules finding the net to cap off a memorable night in Charlotte and spark celebrations back in Rio.
Interestingly, half of Fluminense’s six goals in the United States have come after the 75th minute. Their defence, led by Thiago Silva, hasn’t conceded a single second-half goal so far, which means any opponent that falls behind could be in real trouble.
Fluminense reached the knockout stage by finishing second in Group F, with a 4-2 win over Ulsan HD sandwiched between two goalless draws. Now, as the reigning Copa Libertadores champions and South America’s last team standing, they carry plenty of momentum.
They’re unbeaten in their last 10 matches across all competitions and have kept five clean sheets in their last six outings. With that kind of form, they’ll back themselves to reach the final four.
Friday’s game will be the first-ever meeting between Fluminense and Al-Hilal, but it continues a familiar storyline. It marks the fifth Club World Cup matchup between Brazilian and Saudi clubs, with Al-Hilal having featured in two of the previous four.
The Saudi side lost to Flamengo in the 2019 semi-finals but got their revenge three years later at the same stage. Now, they face Flamengo’s biggest rivals.
Al-Hilal have already made history at this tournament. They became the first Asian team to knock out a European opponent at the Club World Cup by eliminating Manchester City in the last 16.
Despite allowing 30 shots and seeing little of the ball, Al-Hilal were clinical in front of goal. In a thrilling seven-goal game, they scored four times from just six shots on target against Pep Guardiola’s side.
City led 1-0 at halftime, but two quick goals after the break turned the match around. Erling Haaland pulled City level, but extra time saw Kalidou Koulibaly and former Santos striker Marcos Leonardo seal the win for Al-Hilal.
Surprisingly, Al-Hilal have actually scored more goals by Brazilian players at this tournament than Fluminense. While they may be underdogs on paper, their star-studded squad believes it can extend their stay in the United States.
They’re unbeaten in nine matches going back to May and have already taken down Manchester City and held Real Madrid in the group stage. At this point, they have no reason to fear anyone.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
To counter Inter’s well-known 3-5-2 formation, Fluminense coach Renato Gaucho opted for a back three in their last match. Forty-year-old captain Thiago Silva was at the heart of the defence, supported by Juan Pablo Freytes and Ignacio on either side.It remains to be seen whether he’ll take the same cautious approach on Friday. German Cano and attacking talisman Jhon Arias are expected to lead Fluminense’s front line once again.
Arias has been one of the standout performers in the squad. He leads the team in shots with 13, chances created with 12, dribbles completed with nine, and has also won possession 17 times. With that kind of form, players like Agustin Canobbio and recent signing Yefferson Soteldo will likely have to settle for a place on the bench.
On the Al-Hilal side, their attack is missing striker Aleksandar Mitrovic due to injury. However, they still have a golden boot contender in Marcos Leonardo, who has already scored three goals in the tournament.
Simone Inzaghi has also been hit by the loss of team captain Salem Al-Dawsari, who suffered a hamstring injury during the group stage. Al-Dawsari famously scored Saudi Arabia’s winner against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup and added two more goals in last year’s Club World Cup semi-final against Flamengo.
In addition, Abdullah Al-Hamddan is dealing with a calf issue and Mosab Al-Juwair has a knee injury, while key defender Hassan Tambakti is still working his way back from the knock that kept him out of Monday’s match.
While much of the attention is on their attacking firepower, Al-Hilal often rely heavily on goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Known to many as Bono, the former Sevilla keeper has been outstanding, saving 85 percent of the shots on target he has faced so far, including 10 of 13 attempts against Manchester City.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Fluminense possible starting lineup:Fabio; Ignacio, Silva, Freytes; Xavier, Hercules, Martinelli, Rene; Nonato; Arias, Cano
Al-Hilal possible starting lineup:
Bono; Cancelo, Tambakti, Koulibaly, Lodi; Neves, Kanno; Malcom, Milinkovic-Savic, N. Al-Dawsari; Leonardo
EXPERT PREDICTION
Fluminense 2-1 Al Hilal
Al-Hilal may have more flair in their ranks, but going to extra time on Monday likely drained some valuable energy. That could end up being the key factor in what promises to be a closely contested match between two well-matched sides.
