Club World Cup: Al Hilal beat Pachuca to storm into last 16

Saudi Arabian heavyweights set up clash with Manchester City in knockout phase

Al Hilal's Ruben Neves, Marcos Leonardo and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic celebrate their Club World Cup win over Pachuca in Nashville. Reuters

Al Hilal's Salem Al Dawsari, left, and Nasser Al Dawsari after the match between against Pachuca in Nashville. AP

Al Hilal's Marcos Leonardo scores his side's second goal against Pachuca. AP

Pachuca's Sebastian Jurado tries to block a shot from Al Hilal's Marcos Leonardo. Reuters

Al Hilal's Salem Al Dawsari, left, after scoring. AP

Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group H - Al Hilal v Pachuca - Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee, U. S. - June 26, 2025 Al Hilal's Salem Al Dawsari celebrates with teammates after scoring their first goal IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters / Steve Roberts

Al Hilal defeated Mexico's Pachuca 2-0 to reach the knockout stage of the Club World Cup.

The Saudi Arabian club clinched their first win of the tournament, which proved enough to send them through as Group H runners-up behind Real Madrid.

Salem Al Dawsari opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and Marcos Leonardo added the second in stoppage time to set up a last-16 clash with Manchester City in Orlando on Monday.

Pachuca were already eliminated after losing their first two games. While they put up a good fight, Al Hilal's defence - marshalled by Kalidou Koulibaly - shackled danger man Salomon Rondon and restricted the Mexicans to long-range shots and half chances.

Al Hilal were given a few scares by Pachuca as they sat deeper to protect their lead in the final quarter, but held on for a victory that gave them five points to Red Bull Salzburg's four.

"It was a hard game but I think we did a great game," said midfielder Ruben Neves.

"We scored first off, we had control and we defended very well. A clean sheet and a win and we are through. That's the most important thing."

Al Hilal have spent heavily on top talent from across the globe, but the opening goal came from a combination of two homegrown talents.

Nasser Al Dawsari took possession in the final third and lofted a pass into the area to his captain Salem, who controlled the ball with one touch of his right foot and lifted it over the goalkeeper with his second.

Leonardo headed over the crossbar later in the first half and should have scored in the 83rd minute when he only had goalkeeper Sebastian Jurado to beat.

His chip was too weak, however, and Jurado got enough of a touch on it to allow defender Eduardo Bauermann to clear it off the line.

Pachuca substitute Illian Hernandez sounded a warning with a header that flashed past the post in the 84th minute but Leonardo settled any Al Hilal nerves five minutes into stoppage time.

Neves found him in plenty of space in the box and this time the Brazilian rounded the goalkeeper and tucked the ball into an empty net.

Al Ain finish on a high

Kaku scored early in the second half to lift Al Ain to a 2-1 victory over Wydad in the final match of the Club World Cup for both clubs.

Both teams were already eliminated from contention for the tournament's knockout round. They went into the final group match without a win in Group G.

Wydad coach Mohamed Amine Benhachem was at the game on crutches following a traffic accident with a team physician earlier in the week. No one involved in the accident was seriously injured, but the Moroccan coach was unable to attend the team's news conference the day before the match.

Wydad scored in the fourth minute. Cassius Mailula found himself unchallenged at the end of a cross by Mohamed Moufid and beat goalkeeper Rui Patrício at the near post.

Kodjo Laba converted a penalty just before halftime to pull Al Ain even.

Al Ain took the lead in the 50th minute when Paraguayan international Kaku finished into the upper right corner. Wydad centerback Jamal Harkass was injured in the run-up to the goal and had to be taken off on a stretcher.