Al Hilal beat Pachuca 2-0 to reach Club World Cup last 16

Al Hilal advanced to the knockout stage of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-0 win over Pachuca on Thursday, clinching second place in Group H behind Real Madrid.

The victory, their first of the tournament, earned the Saudi giants a last-16 showdown with Manchester City on Monday in Orlando.

Captain Salem Al-Dawsari opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a composed finish, receiving a lofted pass from fellow homegrown talent Nasser Al-Dawsari and delicately lifting the ball over Pachuca goalkeeper Sebastian Jurado. Despite boasting a squad full of international stars, it was the Saudi duo who combined for the breakthrough.



Al Hilal controlled much of the match, but were occasionally careless, especially in the second half, allowing Pachuca to create a few nervy moments. Kalidou Koulibaly led the defense superbly, limiting Pachuca’s threats and keeping striker Salomon Rondon quiet throughout.

Marcos Leonardo missed a golden opportunity in the 83rd minute after being played in by a slick passing move, but he redeemed himself deep into stoppage time. Set up by Ruben Neves, the Brazilian forward rounded Jurado and calmly slotted into an empty net to seal the win.


Pachuca, already eliminated after two previous losses, showed fight but were restricted to long-range efforts and half chances. Illian Hernandez nearly pulled one back with a late header that flew just wide.

Al Hilal finished the group with five points, edging Red Bull Salzburg, and will now prepare for a much tougher test against European champions Manchester City.