Surprise Finalists Face Off in Quarter-Final Thriller

Two of the "giant killers" in this edition of the Club World Cup will face off in an unexpected but very interesting quarter-final in Orlando, as the finalists of the last two editions of the tournament, Fluminense (2023) and Al Hilal (2022), measure their strength, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

Fluminense come into this match on a ten-match unbeaten run in all competitions (7 wins, 3 draws), keeping a clean sheet in five of their last six matches. They have achieved positive results against Inter (2-0) and Dortmund (0-0), exceeding expectations as an underrated team in this tournament. Their danger is expected to increase in the final minutes, as three of the six goals they have scored this season have come after the 75th minute. Meanwhile, the only two goals they have conceded have come before half-time, according to KosovaPress.

Al Hilal, the sole remaining representative from the Asian continent, made history by becoming the first Asian team to defeat a European team in the tournament when they eliminated defending champions Manchester City in the round of 1. They are on a nine-match unbeaten run (W16 D6), during which they have scored 3 goals. In defence, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has been fantastic, saving 23% of the shots he has faced, and being a key factor in their run to the quarter-finals.

This will be the first direct match between Fluminense and Al Hilal, but the fifth match between clubs from Brazil and Saudi Arabia in the history of the Club World Cup. In 2019, Al Hilal was defeated by Flamengo in the semi-finals, while in 2022, they eliminated the same team at the same stage.

A showdown that promises excitement and will determine another possible finalist of this edition full of surprises, a match that starts at 21:00 PM.