Saudi Al-Hilal FC Second in FIFA Club World Cup

 Al-Hilal FC of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia won the second place in FIFA Club World Cup in Rabat - SPA
Al-Hilal FC of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia won the second place in FIFA Club World Cup in Rabat - SPA
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Saudi Al-Hilal FC Second in FIFA Club World Cup

 Al-Hilal FC of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia won the second place in FIFA Club World Cup in Rabat - SPA
Al-Hilal FC of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia won the second place in FIFA Club World Cup in Rabat - SPA

Al-Hilal FC of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia won the second place in FIFA Club World Cup in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco after losing 5-3 to the Spanish Real Madrid in the final match Saturday.

Brazilian Vinicius Junior opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 13th minute with his teammate Federico Valverde netting another five minutes later, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

Al-Hilal then changed course when it’s player Moussa Marega took one back in the 26th minute to end the first half 2-1.

With a good restart in the second half, Al-Hilal pushed relentlessly forward trying to change course and, in the 63rd minute, Luciano Vietto scored a second goal for the Saudi team.

But Real Madrid were keen on keeping the lead until Vinicius scored another in the 69th minute. Al-Hilal's Vietto responded in the 78th minute for his second goal and the third goal for the Saudi team.

Accordingly, Real Madrid were crowned champion of FIFA Club World Cup for a record-enhancing fifth time in its history, while the silver medal went for Al-Hilal.



Monaco Loses at Rock-bottom Montpellier and Concedes 3rd Place to Lille in Ligue 1

Mousa Tamari of Montpellier HSC celebrates after scoring a goal during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Montpellier HSC and AS Monaco, in Montpellier, Southern France, 17 January 2025. EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO
Mousa Tamari of Montpellier HSC celebrates after scoring a goal during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Montpellier HSC and AS Monaco, in Montpellier, Southern France, 17 January 2025. EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO
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Monaco Loses at Rock-bottom Montpellier and Concedes 3rd Place to Lille in Ligue 1

Mousa Tamari of Montpellier HSC celebrates after scoring a goal during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Montpellier HSC and AS Monaco, in Montpellier, Southern France, 17 January 2025. EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO
Mousa Tamari of Montpellier HSC celebrates after scoring a goal during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Montpellier HSC and AS Monaco, in Montpellier, Southern France, 17 January 2025. EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO

Monaco's floundering season took another turn for the worse as it lost at rock-bottom Montpellier 2-1 in Ligue 1 and conceded third place to Lille on Friday.
Bruno Genesio's Lille extended its unbeaten run in all competitions to 21 games with a 2-1 home win against Nice to move one point above Monaco, which played earlier.
Despite taking the lead through Germany defender Thilo Kehrer in the first half against the league's worst defense, third-placed Monaco collapsed after the break when Jordan forward Mousa Al Tamari scored twice, The Associated Press reported.
New signing Mika Biereth started in attack for coach Adi Hütter's Monaco, which has won only twice in the past 11 games overall.
It was only Montpellier's third win in 18 league games.
Defeat left Monaco 12 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain and increased the pressure on Hütter.
Next up for Lille is a tough trip to Premier League leader Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday, but Genesio's side is proving very resilient this season.
Lille fell behind in the 29th when midfielder Sofiane Diop turned the ball in after goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier spilled a right-wing cross from Jonathan Clauss.
Clauss was fooled by striker Jonathan David's dummy shortly after the break, however, and David astutely set up Hakon Haraldsson's equalizer. Then Clauss botched a clearance in the 63rd and defender Bafodé Diakité finished.
Nice dropped to fifth place and one point behind Monaco.
PSG is at Lens on Saturday.