Bounou's penalty heroics thwart Spain's finest again as Al-Hilal make statement

Just erstwhile it looked similar Asian shot mightiness person a FIFA Club World Cup to forget, aft Urawa Red Diamonds and Ulsan HD some fell to opening defeats connected Tuesday, up stepped Al Hilal.

Arguably facing the toughest trial of all, aft their continental counterparts mislaid to Argentine and South African opponents successful the signifier of River Plate and Mamelodi Sundowns respectively, Al Hilal ensured they would astatine slightest person a constituent to amusement for their efforts connected Wednesday arsenic they began their Group H run with a 1-1 draw -- against the mighty Real Madrid, nary less.

The Saudi Pro League outfit surely survived a adjacent shave -- with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou producing a important prevention successful stoppage clip to support retired a Federico Valverde punishment -- but fewer would reason that they were not bully worth for the draw, particularly considering they narrowly mislaid retired successful the possession stakes with 47.9% of the ball, and would adjacent person matched Real for efforts connected extremity if not for an onslaught by the European giants successful the last 10 minutes.

Granted, it would beryllium inaccurate to accidental this was a Real broadside astatine afloat strength.

Emerging prospects specified arsenic Raúl Asencio and Gonzalo García were handed a starting berth, but determination were besides debuts for big-name signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, portion the likes of Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Thibaut Courtois, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Valverde each featured from the opening whistle.

On the different hand, it indispensable beryllium noted that -- fixed the caller big-spending ways of the SPL's starring sides -- Al Hilal sent retired a lineup with nary shortage of salient names, including João Cancelo, Rúben Neves, Malcom and Sergej Milinković-Savić, but determination was besides section practice successful the signifier of Salem Al-Dawsari, Nasser Al-Dawsari and Hassan Al-Tambakti.

Given the mode Urawa and Ulsan were defeated convincingly a time ago, it was casual to presume that Al Hilal would endure the aforesaid destiny coming up against adjacent stronger absorption -- a conception that would lone person been strengthened further erstwhile Real broke the deadlock successful the 34th minute.

After winning possession adjacent the halfway line, a sweeping counterattack would spot 21-year-old García repay caller manager Xabi Alonso's religion successful him arsenic helium applied the finishing touches -- albeit with a decorativeness that was hardly the astir convincing -- to a pinpoint transverse by Rodrygo.

But conscionable 5 minutes later, Al Hilal were handed a aureate accidental to equalize erstwhile Marcos Leonardo refused to springiness up connected a hopeful shot punted guardant and yet won possession wrong the absorption country -- lone to beryllium dragged down by a hopeless Asencio.

No alien to immense unit fixed his erstwhile acquisition successful the Premier League with Wolves, arsenic good arsenic connected the planetary signifier with Portugal, Neves was hardly perturbed by each 62,415 pairs of eyes connected him astatine Miami's Hard Rock Stadium arsenic helium calmly sent Courtois the incorrect mode from the spot.

It seemed a specified formality that Real, stung from conceding an equaliser, would regroup and yet reclaim the pb yet it ne'er truly looked similar coming aft the break.

Even erstwhile Lucas Vázquez, Brahim Díaz, Arda Güler and yet Luka Modrić were introduced, thing got past Al Hilal's indomitable centre-back concern of Al-Tambakti and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Nonetheless, arsenic the timepiece ticked implicit into the 90th minute, it seemed arsenic though a reprieve had arrived for Real -- successful somewhat dubious circumstances.

As helium chased down a escaped shot wrong his ain area, Mohammed Al-Qahtani swung retired a stray limb that caught Fran García close successful the face.

It could adjacent person been deemed arsenic an off-the-ball incidental and, successful different occasions, it mightiness person been waved away.

Still, determination person besides been instances wherever specified an enactment was deemed a foul and, upon VAR review, this was 1 of those.

Alonso, undoubtedly anxious to get his reign disconnected to a winning start, chopped a tense digit sitting astatine the country of the Real bench. In truth, helium astir apt would person sat a small much comfortably seeing a subordinate of Valverde's ilk measurement up to the spot.

But Bounou is nary alien to punishment heroics, particularly against Spanish opposition. After all, it was his 2 saves successful the shootout which helped Morocco scope the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup for the archetypal clip successful 2022.

And, arsenic helium guessed correctly to dive to his close and thwart Valverde's attempt, a singular gully for Al Hilal was efficaciously secured.

One that gave Asian shot thing to grin astir aft a trying commencement to the Club World Cup.

And 1 which saw Al Hilal contented a existent connection of intent with games, particularly present that their toughest trial is retired of the way, with games against Red Bull Salzburg and Pachuca to follow.