Latest news with #Fifa
TimesLIVE
2 hours ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Messi guides Inter to win over Porto, Riveiro's Ahly lose, Botafogo shock PSG
Lionel Messi's stunning free kick secured Inter Miami a 2-1 win over Porto in their Club World Cup Group A clash on Thursday, marking the first time a Concacaf team has defeated a European side in an official Fifa tournament. The Argentinian great was pivotal as the Major League Soccer side bounced back from their disappointing goalless draw against Egyptian side Al Ahly in their opening match. Inter's win boosts their chances of a deep run. After Fifa controversially granted Javier Mascherano's side a backdoor entry, Messi has become front and centre in the revamped, 32-team competition, drawing crowds while continuing to elevate the sport in a country long lukewarm towards the world's game. 'It's a great joy. A lot of effort went into it, and we worked very well. I'm very happy. We were left with a bitter taste after the first match. We thought we could have won it. "[In the free kick] I took advantage of the space left by the goalkeeper, who was standing still and not covering his post. I tried to score there. 'The other day [there were] nerves from a lot of young guys playing in such a significant competition [in Inter's 0-0 opening draw against Al Ahly]. We've changed. 'We're going to compete, try to play our game. Today we were the inferior team, but we have our weapons. Next up is Palmeiras, which is a big club in the world. It's going to be another very difficult game.' Also on Thursday night Brazil's Botafogo withstood waves of attacks from Paris St Germain to stun the European champions 1-0 and throw Group B wide open. PSG dominated possession at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena but Botafogo's resolute defence stood tall in the first competitive meeting between the two clubs. The goal came in the 36th minute when Botafogo gained possession in midfield and Jefferson Savarino slid a pass through for Igor Jesus to run in on goal. Jesus outmanoeuvred two defenders and his shot deflected off the leg of PSG's Willian Pacho, the ball changing direction and leaving goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma flat-footed. PSG continued to be the aggressors in the second half as Botafogo were content to protect their lead and try to capitalise on the break. The Brazilians became the first team to stop PSG scoring since March when Liverpool defeated them 1-0 in the Champions League. The French side had scored in 19 consecutive games until losing on Thursday. Botafogo coach Renato Paiva said his team had beaten PSG at their own game. 'Being a great team, playing together, all the guys defending, all the guys attacking, and that's the big secret of this PSG team, that's why they compete and win,' he said. 'They are a fantastic team. PSG are a lesson to everybody nowadays in football. And I told my guys, 'Just be a team, enjoy playing together, attack together, defend together, and enjoy'. And they did they did it. Fantastic.' PSG were once again without Ousmane Dembele, who suffered an injury while playing for France in the Uefa Nations League earlier this month Brazil's four teams at the 32-club tournament are unbeaten so far and Paiva said it showed the strength of the game in the South American nation. 'Brazil will always be Brazil in world football.' Pablo Barrios' brace lifted Atletico Madrid to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Thursday, getting the Spanish side's Group B campaign back on track. Axel Witsel also scored as Atletico bounced back form their opening 4-0 loss to Paris St-Germain. In Thursday's early game, Brazil's Palmeiras scored twice in the space of 10 second-half minutes to beat Al Ahly of Egypt 2-0 in their Group A clash that was halted for 50 minutes because of fears over stormy weather at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Ahly, coached by former Orlando Pirates boss José Riveiro, started with a 0-0 draw against Messi's Inter and will have to beat Porto in their final match on Tuesday to stand a chance of progressing. Ahly's Palestine international striker Wessam Abou Ali headed into his own net trying to defend a free kick whipped in by Anibal Moreno, getting into a mix-up with his defenders to hand Palmeiras a 49th-minute lead. The first goal in the group was followed 10 minutes later by a swift counterattack from the Brazilian club, expertly finished by Jose Manuel Lopez, who had come on at half time.
BBC News
17 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
More than 400,000 empty seats at Club World Cup so far
More than 400,000 (423,004) seats have been left empty during the opening round of Club World Cup group matches in the United have been 56.8% full, with more than half a million (556,369) spectators stadiums have been used for the first 16 matches of the tournament, with a combined capacity of 979, expanded tournament is being treated as a dress rehearsal for the international men's World Cup next summer, which will be held in the USA, Canada and the 16 matches played so far, half of the matches have seen attendances below 50% of the capacity of the lowest attended game was South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns win over South Korean side Ulsan HD in front of 3,412 spectators at Inter & Co Stadium in Florida. The fixture between Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns was by far the worst attended official attendance meant the stadium was just 13.6% journalist Maher Mezahi claimed to have counted 97 fans before kick-off and 577 with 10 minutes left to stadium for River Plate's win over Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds was 17% full, while it was 20% for Salzburg's win over Pachuca in 31% of the capacity of Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium saw Chelsea beat LAFC in their opening the setbacks, Fifa is optimistic that attendances will increase. In a statement on Tuesday, it said that "four of the five top-selling group stage matches are still to come". Fifa says nearly 1.5m tickets have been sold for the tournament and despite the issues there have still been some large highest-recorded crowd of 80,619 watched Paris St-Germain's 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl Stadium in three matches in Miami, which has a large Hispanic and Latino population, have been highly attended. Fifa said the opening game between Inter Miami and Al-Ahly was watched by 60, Juniors' Group C match against Benfica had more than 55,000 in the 65,000-capacity Hard Rock third game in Miami had 62,415 attend Real Madrid's 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabian side Miami and Boca Juniors are playing in Miami again later in the group stage. Fifa scheduling headache There were gates of 18,161 for Juventus' win over Al-Ain and 21,152 for Bayern Munich's 10-0 win over Auckland stadium's were 91% and 81% full, respectively - with the games taking place in smaller may come to rue not doing the same with some of the matches scheduled during regular work Monday at 3pm local time, Chelsea beat LAFC in front of 22,137 fans - but in a stadium which can hold 71,000 Roberson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution thinks there were several factors, but "it's not because people here don't care about soccer"."The people aren't here because it's Monday at 3pm," he said. "Frankly I am surprised there are as many as there are." Chelsea played at the stadium in Atlanta two years ago and almost sold out, with more than 70,000 fans watching them face Newcastle in a friendly tournament named the Premier League Summer Series. That match took place at or three games are being played during regular work hours on every other weekday until the group stage ends on 26 June (noon, 2pm and 3pm local time).Tuesday's noon kick-off in New York saw more than 40,000 empty seats at the Met Life Stadium for the goalless draw between Borussia Dortmund and were 30,000 empty seats in the same time slot on Wednesday in Philadelphia as Manchester City opened their campaign against Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca at the Lincoln Financial Field. Gold Cup clash The Club World Cup has had to go up against the Concacaf Gold Cup, which is also being held in the United States and continental football tournament is contested between 16 nations across North America, Central America and the year Saudi Arabia have also been invited to take have also been down for the tournament - the United States beat Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 in front 12,610 fans at the 18,000-capacity Pay Pal Park in years ago the same fixture in the same tournament attracted 40,000 fans in North Carolina.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump, Juventus and thinly veiled contempt
JUVENTUS GO TO WASHINGTON While Football Daily didn't get where it is today by performatively flip-flopping over various issues depending on which way the prevailing political wind is blowing, it would be fair to say Football Daily did get where it is today by performatively flip-flopping over various issues depending on which way the prevailing political wind is blowing. Like Groucho Marx, the world's most daily football email has its principles and if you don't like them … well, we have other ones. Those familiar with its work will be aware that Fifa is no different, but has still come as something of a surprise that having for so long publicly (if a little hollowly) purported to be against injustice of any kind, world football's governing body abandoned its planned campaigns against racism and discrimination across the opening three days of the Copa Gianni being staged in the USA USA USA. Following a backlash, some pithy slogans were rolled out on Wednesday, albeit seemingly on the proviso that this token gesture would be for one day of this month-long jamboree only. Advertisement While the dimwits who think politics should have no place in football will view Fifa's non-stance as a victory, it is difficult to imagine what they made of Wednesday's delegation of Juventus representatives at the Oval Office, where assorted players, staff and suits were forced to stand behind Donald Trump as he briefed his favoured correspondents on a possible attack on Iran, a bizarre soliloquy regarding the bodycount in the American Civil War and how 'bigly' the crowd at Juve's Copa Gianni match against Al Ain would be a few hours later. With Gianni Infantino gazing adoringly from his basket in the corner, the 47th president of the United States of America also tried unsuccessfully to bait some or all of his visitors into making transphobic comments. Showing all the enthusiasm and joie de vivre of captives in a hostage video, a group of players including USA USA USA internationals Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah looked on with a mixture of thinly veiled contempt and … no, just thinly veiled contempt. Speaking after Juve's win over Al Ain later that evening, Weah stated that he and his teammates had been forced into participating in this tawdry photo op by their employers. 'It was all a surprise to me, honestly,' he sighed. 'They told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go. I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird. When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of like … I just want to play football, man.' Previously an outspoken critic of Trump's disregard for black people among his myriad other shortcomings, McKennie stayed silent on this occasion but, if looks could kill, the midfielder would almost certainly have been bundled out of the office by the president's secret service detail. Elsewhere in Copa Gianni, Manchester City got their campaign off to a winning start against Wydad AC despite losing Rico Lewis to a late red card that simultaneously looked very harsh and entirely justified, while Merseyside's most famous Hispanophone made his eagerly awaited debut for his new side in their draw with Al-Hilal. 'It's an incredible day for me to make my Real Madrid debut,' cheered Trent Alexander-Arnold in his post-match interview, speaking in his native tongue on this occasion, presumably out of fear any Ice goons lurking nearby would be so impressed by his proficiency in Spanish that he might end in the back of a van being ferried to a detention centre. QUOTE OF THE DAY 'Many question why our national team is in this situation and why there is a lack of talent, one reason being the losses due to piracy. All the money that is lost every year is not invested in the youth teams and in the growth of our young players, a major issue that has led our national team to face many difficulties … We are already far behind the Premier League and La Liga. If we continue like this, we will finish behind the Germans and we will end up being at the bottom of the table [of Europe's top five leagues] together with the French' – Serie A chief suit Luigi De Siervo reckons pesky Italian fire sticks are the reason for the Azzurri's decline, along with sticking in a drive-by on Ligue 1. In other news, Gennaro Gattuso has been presented as the national team's latest manager. FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS I struggle to see how Burnley could have been dealt a rough hand by the giant super-computer at Premier League HQ (yesterday's Football Daily). Admittedly I've not counted up every fixture next season, but I'm pretty sure they'll play the other teams twice just like everyone else' – Simon Riley. I'm a bit behind on reading Football Daily so I've only just seen the photo of Phil Parkes from Monday's Memory Lane (full email edition). It's quite the throwback to a simpler time – you'd never catch any club, let alone one as well-versed in C0ckney rhyming slang as West Ham, letting one of their players pose with a pony, in case anyone saw it as the perfect analogy for how they've been playing under Graham Potter' – Ed Taylor. Re: yesterday's Quote of the Day. Daniel Levy says: 'We've won a European trophy but it's not enough.' Turn his TV off. Few solid players left but it's not enough. Few leaders that'll really step but it's not enough. Say Spurs bigger than myself but it's not enough. Am I getting on Mr Levy's ... Yeah, somebody gotta do it' – Daniel Stauss. Advertisement Please send your letters to Today's winner of our letter o' the day competition is … Daniel Stauss, who gets some Football Weekly merch. We'll be in touch. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, can be viewed here. RECOMMENDED LISTENING Welcome back to hell, and listen to Emma Powell read Rob Smyth's Forgotten Story of Manchester United v Galatasaray in 1993. AY'-I UP? Sheffield United without Chris Wilder? Even when he was managing Middlesbrough or Watford, and Paul Heckingbottom was in charge, the club still felt like Wilder's. His second spell, including a relegation battle fought in vain, and May's Championship playoff final lost so narrowly to Sunderland, was not as successful as the first, but the 100% Blade departs as club legend, a manager on the level of a Neil Warnock, a Dave Bassett, a Harry Haslam. One of the final straws came when the club's new, Stateside consortium owners asked Wilder to use AI scouting methods. That was always unlikely to fly. The end soon came. 'Leading this team over 300 times will remain an incredible part of my life,' sobbed Wilder. The new man? Rubén Sellés, who you may remember as the manager of crisis clubs Southampton, Reading and Hull. 'We need to embrace data and new technologies, but the most important thing is not to forget the football essence,' he roared. NEWS, BITS AND BOBS Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé has been admitted to hospital with acute gastroenteritis, where the club say he will 'undergo a series of tests and follow the appropriate course of treatment'. Advertisement The Tripoli derby between Al-Ahly and Al-Ittihad in the Libyan Premier League has had to be suspended after fans stormed the pitch, with the referee and other supporters being injured. Al-Ittihad's bus was set on fire, the club said in a statement, while Al-Ahly blamed what it called a 'provocative act' by one of Al-Ittihad players for the trouble. The presence of banned performance-enhancing substance meldonium, found in Mykhailo Mudryk's system, and confirmed by a B sample, could lead to a four-year ban. 'As this is an ongoing case, we are not in a position to comment further at this time,' tooted an FA statement. England's brave boys are through to the quarter-finals of the European U-21 Championship, despite losing 2-1 to Germany. Slovenia's defeat to the Czech Republic means Lee Carsley's kids limped through to face Spain on Saturday. Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson has revealed her 23-strong lineup for Euro 2025 on top of Yr Wyddfa in Snowdonia, and it includes Sophie Ingle after she recovered in time from ACL-knack. Advertisement Hernán Crespo is back in the game, baby, as São Paulo coach for a second time. Gerhard Struber is back in the game, baby, as Bristol City head coach. New Chelsea striker Liam Delap and Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly lead the list for the PFA young player of the year award. Bournemouth full-back Milos Kerkez, former Cherries defender Dean Huijsen, Arsenal winger Ethan Nwaneri and Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers complete the six, with Phil Foden and James Milner cruelly overlooked for this year's gong. New Spurs boss Thomas Frank intends to build on Ange Postecoglou's Bigger Vase triumph and turn them into 'serial winners'. Advertisement And to the Fun and Games in South America Dept, where Brazilian Série D outfit Humaitá have set a new club record after just seven paying fans turned up for their 2-2 draw against Manauara. MOVING THE GOALPOSTS There's a treat for you in the latest edition of our sister email, a big interview with Netherlands midfielder Jill Roord courtesy of Tom Garry. STILL WANT MORE? Get it launched! Football Daily's campaign for real football is happening. Get it in the mixer, feed off the knock-downs? Sadly not. We're going to see longer passing mostly, writes Ali Tweedale, because teams have worked out that playing out from the back gives opponents more chances. Advertisement A proper plan is needed for those left behind as Copa Gianni gifts its riches, writes Nick Ames. How the USMNT values diversity, even in the Trump era. By Sanjay Sujanthakumar. And the Rumour Mill picks over the latest gossip, including chatter relating to the future of Viktor Gyökeres. MEMORY LANE Gabriel Batistuta skips clear of a sliding Lizardo Garrido during Argentina's final-round stalemate with Chile during the Copa América in July 1991. The rain poured and poured in Santiago, where Argentina returned two days later to beat Colombia 2-1 and top the standings, sealing glory. 'IS CONSIDERATION … MORE LIKE AN EXCEPTION … OF CONSIDERATION?'
The Guardian
18 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Trump, Juventus and thinly veiled contempt
While Football Daily didn't get where it is today by performatively flip-flopping over various issues depending on which way the prevailing political wind is blowing, it would be fair to say Football Daily did get where it is today by performatively flip-flopping over various issues depending on which way the prevailing political wind is blowing. Like Groucho Marx, the world's most daily football email has its principles and if you don't like them … well, we have other ones. Those familiar with its work will be aware that Fifa is no different, but has still come as something of a surprise that having for so long publicly (if a little hollowly) purported to be against injustice of any kind, world football's governing body abandoned its planned campaigns against racism and discrimination across the opening three days of the Copa Gianni being staged in the USA USA USA. Following a backlash, some pithy slogans were rolled out on Wednesday, albeit seemingly on the proviso that this token gesture would be for one day of this month-long jamboree only. While the dimwits who think politics should have no place in football will view Fifa's non-stance as a victory, it is difficult to imagine what they made of Wednesday's delegation of Juventus representatives at the Oval Office, where assorted players, staff and suits were forced to stand behind Donald Trump as he briefed his favoured correspondents on a possible attack on Iran, a bizarre soliloquy regarding the bodycount in the American Civil War and how 'bigly' the crowd at Juve's Copa Gianni match against Al Ain would be a few hours later. With Gianni Infantino gazing adoringly from his basket in the corner, the 47th president of the United States of America also tried unsuccessfully to bait some or all of his visitors into making transphobic comments. Showing all the enthusiasm and joie de vivre of captives in a hostage video, a group of players including USA USA USA internationals Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah looked on with a mixture of thinly veiled contempt and … no, just thinly veiled contempt. Speaking after Juve's win over Al Ain later that evening, Weah stated that he and his teammates had been forced into participating in this tawdry photo op by their employers. 'It was all a surprise to me, honestly,' he sighed. 'They told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go. I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird. When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of like … I just want to play football, man.' Previously an outspoken critic of Trump's disregard for black people among his myriad other shortcomings, McKennie stayed silent on this occasion but, if looks could kill, the midfielder would almost certainly have been bundled out of the office by the president's secret service detail. Elsewhere in Copa Gianni, Manchester City got their campaign off to a winning start against Wydad AC despite losing Rico Lewis to a late red card that simultaneously looked very harsh and entirely justified, while Merseyside's most famous Hispanophone made his eagerly awaited debut for his new side in their draw with Al-Hilal. 'It's an incredible day for me to make my Real Madrid debut,' cheered Trent Alexander-Arnold in his post-match interview, speaking in his native tongue on this occasion, presumably out of fear any Ice goons lurking nearby would be so impressed by his proficiency in Spanish that he might end in the back of a van being ferried to a detention centre. 'Many question why our national team is in this situation and why there is a lack of talent, one reason being the losses due to piracy. All the money that is lost every year is not invested in the youth teams and in the growth of our young players, a major issue that has led our national team to face many difficulties … We are already far behind the Premier League and La Liga. If we continue like this, we will finish behind the Germans and we will end up being at the bottom of the table [of Europe's top five leagues] together with the French' – Serie A chief suit Luigi De Siervo reckons pesky Italian fire sticks are the reason for the Azzurri's decline, along with sticking in a drive-by on Ligue 1. In other news, Gennaro Gattuso has been presented as the national team's latest manager. I struggle to see how Burnley could have been dealt a rough hand by the giant super-computer at Premier League HQ (yesterday's Football Daily). Admittedly I've not counted up every fixture next season, but I'm pretty sure they'll play the other teams twice just like everyone else' – Simon Riley. I'm a bit behind on reading Football Daily so I've only just seen the photo of Phil Parkes from Monday's Memory Lane (full email edition). It's quite the throwback to a simpler time – you'd never catch any club, let alone one as well-versed in C0ckney rhyming slang as West Ham, letting one of their players pose with a pony, in case anyone saw it as the perfect analogy for how they've been playing under Graham Potter' – Ed Taylor. Re: yesterday's Quote of the Day. Daniel Levy says: 'We've won a European trophy but it's not enough.' Turn his TV off. Few solid players left but it's not enough. Few leaders that'll really step but it's not enough. Say Spurs bigger than myself but it's not enough. Am I getting on Mr Levy's ... Yeah, somebody gotta do it' – Daniel Stauss. Please send your letters to Today's winner of our letter o' the day competition is … Daniel Stauss, who gets some Football Weekly merch. We'll be in touch. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, can be viewed here. Welcome back to hell, and listen to Emma Powell read Rob Smyth's Forgotten Story of Manchester United v Galatasaray in 1993. Sheffield United without Chris Wilder? Even when he was managing Middlesbrough or Watford, and Paul Heckingbottom was in charge, the club still felt like Wilder's. His second spell, including a relegation battle fought in vain, and May's Championship playoff final lost so narrowly to Sunderland, was not as successful as the first, but the 100% Blade departs as club legend, a manager on the level of a Neil Warnock, a Dave Bassett, a Harry Haslam. One of the final straws came when the club's new, Stateside consortium owners asked Wilder to use AI scouting methods. That was always unlikely to fly. The end soon came. 'Leading this team over 300 times will remain an incredible part of my life,' sobbed Wilder. The new man? Rubén Sellés, who you may remember as the manager of crisis clubs Southampton, Reading and Hull. 'We need to embrace data and new technologies, but the most important thing is not to forget the football essence,' he roared. Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé has been admitted to hospital with acute gastroenteritis, where the club say he will 'undergo a series of tests and follow the appropriate course of treatment'. The Tripoli derby between Al-Ahly and Al-Ittihad in the Libyan Premier League has had to be suspended after fans stormed the pitch, with the referee and other supporters being injured. Al-Ittihad's bus was set on fire, the club said in a statement, while Al-Ahly blamed what it called a 'provocative act' by one of Al-Ittihad players for the trouble. The presence of banned performance-enhancing substance meldonium, found in Mykhailo Mudryk's system, and confirmed by a B sample, could lead to a four-year ban. 'As this is an ongoing case, we are not in a position to comment further at this time,' tooted an FA statement. England's brave boys are through to the quarter-finals of the European U-21 Championship, despite losing 2-1 to Germany. Slovenia's defeat to the Czech Republic means Lee Carsley's kids limped through to face Spain on Saturday. Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson has revealed her 23-strong lineup for Euro 2025 on top of Yr Wyddfa in Snowdonia, and it includes Sophie Ingle after she recovered in time from ACL-knack. Hernán Crespo is back in the game, baby, as São Paulo coach for a second time. Gerhard Struber is back in the game, baby, as Bristol City head coach. New Chelsea striker Liam Delap and Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly lead the list for the PFA young player of the year award. Bournemouth full-back Milos Kerkez, former Cherries defender Dean Huijsen, Arsenal winger Ethan Nwaneri and Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers complete the six, with Phil Foden and James Milner cruelly overlooked for this year's gong. New Spurs boss Thomas Frank intends to build on Ange Postecoglou's Bigger Vase triumph and turn them into 'serial winners'. And to the Fun and Games in South America Dept, where Brazilian Série D outfit Humaitá have set a new club record after just seven paying fans turned up for their 2-2 draw against Manauara. There's a treat for you in the latest edition of our sister email, a big interview with Netherlands midfielder Jill Roord courtesy of Tom Garry. Get it launched! Football Daily's campaign for real football is happening. Get it in the mixer, feed off the knock-downs? Sadly not. We're going to see longer passing mostly, writes Ali Tweedale, because teams have worked out that playing out from the back gives opponents more chances. A proper plan is needed for those left behind as Copa Gianni gifts its riches, writes Nick Ames. How the USMNT values diversity, even in the Trump era. By Sanjay Sujanthakumar. And the Rumour Mill picks over the latest gossip, including chatter relating to the future of Viktor Gyökeres. Gabriel Batistuta skips clear of a sliding Lizardo Garrido during Argentina's final-round stalemate with Chile during the Copa América in July 1991. The rain poured and poured in Santiago, where Argentina returned two days later to beat Colombia 2-1 and top the standings, sealing glory.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Real Madrid held by Al-Hilal on Trent Alexander Arnold's debut
Fifa Club World Cup: Real Madrid 1 (Garcia 34) Al-Hilal 1 (Neves 41) Xabi Alonso had said in the build-up that he was going to 'ignite' his players at this Club World Cup , that Real Madrid were ready to rock'n'roll. In the event this was something a little more ragged and downbeat, pub-rock, at times even a meandering shoe-gaze in Miami as a feisty and well-drilled Al-Hilal kept the new-era Madrid at arm's length in a Group H opener that ended in a 1-1 draw, flickered but never caught fire, and saw Federico Valverde miss an 92nd-minute penalty to win it. Madrid announced before the game that they had sold 60,000 tickets for this game at a 65,000 capacity stadium, which seems a little hard on Al-Hilal, who are owned by the Saudi government and as a result are basically paying for the whole show. As expected the Hard Rock was a sun-dappled sea of white at kick-off, Madrid the greatest portable source of eyeball-power at this made-for-TV show. And this was another strange event at the mothership of all strange events. Most obviously the game kicked off at 3pm local time in mid-June, a time of day when crossing the road here is likely to induce a state of full-body sock-soaking hydration, and trying to run is like hurling yourself head first into the sun. READ MORE In other staging news, Fifa revived its No To Racism messaging, running a short video to that effect before kick-off. There was a clear response here to criticism of kowtowing to the nearest authoritarian politician, with the watering down of that message to Football Unites The World, which has the added drawback of being demonstrably incorrect. Alonso had said in the build-up that Madrid needed 'closure with the past'. Well, good luck with that. But he picked a fresh-looking team here, with the rebranded Trent making his debut, just across from fellow newbie Dean Huijsen, and 21-year-old Gonzalo García at the point of the attack. Kylian Mbappé was absent with a fever, possibly even the strain of football fever Gianni Infantino has claimed is currently sweeping the US, albeit in asymptomatic form judging by the world beyond the stadiums. Federico Valverde misses a penalty kick that is saved by Yassine Bounou. Photograph: Sandra Montanez/Getty It was a little jarring to see the on-field banners at the Hard Rock, Real Madrid's badge enchained within the golden links of the Club World Cup logo. And fascinating also to see Alexander-Arnold for the first time in match-day kit, a familiarly shambling, bandy-legged figure, starting at right-back in a regulation 4-3-3 at kick-off. But it was Al-Hilal who almost opened the scoring with two minutes gone, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic drawing a save from Thibaut Courtois with a fierce drive. And with 13 minutes gone Marcos Leonardo really should have opened the scoring for Al-Hilal, deflecting a mis-hit shot just wide after João Cancelo had made ground on the right. Vinícius was booked for the crime of evading a potential Kalidou Koulibaly shin-raker. Alexander-Arnold gave the ball away a few times, most notably in the lead-up to a break that ended with the ball in the net, only to be rescued by the offside flag. Alonso had spoken a lot about the need for Bellingham to be 'in the right position', mentioning this three times in the space of 30 seconds in his prematch conference, although at times in the opening half-hour Madrid had little to offer here apart from his roving note of menace. But they scored almost immediately after the hydration break. It came from a break the length of the pitch, started by Alexander-Arnold winning a challenge. The ball was shuttled through midfield via Vinícius to Rodrygo on the right. His cross was perfectly curled into the path of García. The finish was a little fumbled, bobbling off one foot on to the other, the end result a dink over the goalkeeper. So the age of Alonso had its first goal. And it conceded its first with 40 minutes gone after Raul Asencio had given away a needless penalty, wrapping an arm around Leonardo as he veered away inside the box. Rúben Neves buried the kick to make it 1-1. Al-Hilal might have had a second, Salem al-Dawsari shooting just wide after a neat combination, drifting in from the Madrid right. Arda Guler came on for Asencio at half-time, as Madrid stuck with the flat four, Aurélien Tchouaméni dropping into the backline. And Guler hit the bar almost immediately after a long, fading Alexander-Arnold pass had put Vinícius in space, before Garcia drew a goalline reflex save from Yassine Bounou as Al-Hilal lived, briefly, on the edge. Bellingham showed some drive and trickery on the right. He wandered to the left. He gestured at his team-mates. Is this free radical role going to remain part of the Alonso blueprint? Madrid began to dominate possession in the Al-Hilal half, playing in the merciful shade of the Hard Rock's vast square wedding cake roof. Alexander-Arnold came off with 65 minutes gone of a so-so, occasionally promising debut, replaced by Lucas Vázquez. The game drifted into hydration breaks and low-throttle lulls in temperatures that never strayed below a brutally humid 90 degrees. Al-Hilal might have taken the lead after Vázquez gave the ball away, but Leonardo clumped his finish over the bar with pond-wader finesse. The crowd fanned itself and sat in a very Madrid kind of semi-hush, awaiting their moment. Vinícius was subbed off to a disappointed groan from Merengues diaspora. Luka Modric came on to the largest roar of the half to that point. At the death it seemed Madrid might produce a classic late assertion of their Darwinian right to win as they were awarded a soft VAR-reviewed penalty, but Valverde's kick was saved. – Guardian
