Real Madrid Held By Inzaghi's Al Hilal at Club World Cup Opener

LONDON, June 19 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) -- Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso and Al Hilal counterpart Simone Inzaghi had to make do with a share of the spoils at the Club World Cup football tournament, as they launched the latest phase of their careers with a 1-1 draw, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.

On a night when new Real head coach Alonso handed debuts to summer signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, it was another former Premier League player who helped to ensure it finished level in Group H.

Ruben Neves converted a 41st-minute penalty to cancel out Gonzalo Garcia’s opener at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, but his efforts would have counted for little had goalkeeper Bono not saved Federico Valverde’s stoppage-time spot-kick.

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The Saudi side were first to threaten with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Neves, and Marcos Leonardo all going close inside the opening 10 minutes.

Renan Lodi thought he had given Inzaghi’s men a 19th-minute lead only for an offside flag to quickly halt his celebrations.

Central defender Hassan Altambakti headed a 27th-minute Neves corner wide as Al Hilal continued to enjoy the better of a game, and Alonso was vociferous with his players as they headed for the sideline for a water break.

Whatever he said appeared to have an immediate impact, with Rodrygo sending a left-foot shot over before sliding in a low cross at the end of a fluent counter-attack which was dispatched by Garcia with 11 minutes of the half remaining.

A poor first touch prevented Garcia from making the most of Jude Bellingham’s 38th-minute through-ball. 

Al Hilal then drew level with four minutes of the half remaining. Raul Asencio pulled back Leonardo, and former Wolves midfielder Neves calmly sent Courtois the wrong way from the spot.

Skipper Salem Al-Dawsari might have put his side ahead as the whistle approached, but his curling attempt after he had exchanged passes with Milinkovic-Savic was deflected just wide.

Asencio did not return for the second half and replacement Arda Guler rattled the crossbar from Vinicius’ cross within seconds of his arrival before Garcia’s header was improbably clawed away by Bono.

Alexander-Arnold was starting to make his presence felt down the right and as Bellingham picked up the baton, the Spaniards began to dominate.

However, they could not find a way past their opponents’ rearguard.

And even when they looked to have been handed an escape when they were awarded a stoppage-time penalty for Yasser Al-Qahtani’s swinging arm on Fran Garcia, Valverde’s spot-kick was saved superbly by Bono.

-- BERNAMA-dpa