FLORIDA, USA, iNBrita.com – Brazilian club Fluminense FC secured a spot in the semifinals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The quarterfinal match took place at Camping World Stadium, Florida, early Saturday (July 5) Indonesia time.
Fluminense started the game with an attacking mindset and quickly gained control of possession. Led by veteran defender Thiago Silva, the team dominated the first half. In the 40th minute, Matheus Martinelli opened the scoring with a powerful strike that beat Al-Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Al-Hilal responded with a series of attacks and nearly equalized after being awarded a penalty. However, the referee overturned the decision after checking the VAR. The Brazilian side maintained a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
Early in the second half, Al-Hilal came out strong and managed to equalize in the 51st minute through Marcos Leonardo’s close-range finish.
The intensity of the match increased as both teams fought to take the lead. Fluminense regained control in the 70th minute when Hercules found the back of the net, restoring their advantage to 2-1.
Despite late pressure from Simone Inzaghi’s squad, Fluminense held firm until the final whistle.
With this result, Fluminense becomes the first team to advance to the semifinals of the 2025 Club World Cup. They will face the winner of the match between Palmeiras and Chelsea.(***)
