ORLANDO: On a day of shock results, Manchester City crashed out of the Club World Cup with a 4-3 defeat in extra-time by Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal on Monday in the last 16, hours after Inter Milan were eliminated by Fluminense.

Champions League runners-up Inter were dumped out 2-0 by the Brazilian side in Charlotte and Pep Guardiola`s City joined them after Marcos Leonardo`s brace left the Premier League giants on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller.

Al Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi likened his side`swin to `climbingMount Everest without oxygen` after the Saudi side bookedanunexpectedberth inthe quarter-finals.

Inzaghi`s side who have been majority-owned by Saudi Arabia`s Public Investment Fund since 2023 will face Brazil`s Fluminense in the last eight on Friday.

`The key to this result was the players, and the heart they put on the pitch tonight. We had to do something extraordinary because we all know Manchester City, that team.

`We had to climb Mount Everest without oxygen and we made it. All the play-ers were exceptional in everything, in the possession phase, the non-possession phase.

`We were very well organised in possession and we played well from a technical point of view against a team which is really aggressive and strong in possession.

`Guardiola, I believe, is the best coach in the world, but tonight we did our best and I believe we deserve this result.

City were the only side to win all three group matches, including a thrashing of Juventus, but came undone in Florida against an Al Hilal side filled with players who once starred for European teams.

Guardiola`s team were the defending champions, having won the trophy in 2024 in its previous format, but were matched blow-for-blow by Al Hilal at the Camping World Stadium.

The Saudi outfit showed their quality in the group stage as they held Spanish giants Real Madrid to a draw, but few expected they could derail City`s charge towards the trophy.

Bernardo Silva turned home from close range to put City ahead after nine minutes on a muggy night on the eastcoast, but Leonardo levelled early in the second half.

Former Barcelona winger Malcom fired the Saudi side ahead after Joao Cancelo threaded him through on goal.

Erling Haaland levelled for City and had an effort cleared off the line late on before the game went to extra-time.

Kalidou Koulibaly nodded home from a corner after 94 minutes but Phil Foden finished well to level 10 minutes later.

The match was decided by Leonardo reacting well to prod home when Ederson saved Sergej Milinkovic-Savic`s header after 112 minutes, with City unable to battle back a third time.

`The level in this competition is a World Cup,` Guardiola told reporters.

`The only regret I have is that we allowed them to run a little bit more than expected.

`Against a team that defended so deep, the wingers have been brilliant. The chances that we had in many, many departments. [Yassine] Bounou made a lot of saves and,in the end,you have to score, you have to be clinical.

`Unfortunately we can`t continue in the competition so we have to learn and keep moving forward.

`I have a big, big opinion of Al Hilal but I [also] think we had a good game to be honest.

Elsewhere on Monday, German Cano headed home early on to give Fluminense the lead against Inter and the Brazilian side survived an onslaught from the Serie A team to progress.

One of the tournaments biggest underdogs, Fluminense were given a 0.05% chance of winning the title by Opta and were initially tipped to exit in the group stage.

However, the Rio de Janeiro club proved predictions wrong by finishing second in Group `F`, holding Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns to draws and beating Ulsan Hyundai to advance.

Against Inter, Fluminense showed the grit and determination that have defined their campaign under charismatic manager Renato Gaucho, with Colombian winger Jhon Arias and Cano once again making the difference.

Arias, who was named the man-of-the-match, was once again a force up and down the right channel in a memorable win for the Brazilian side.

Substitute Hercules netted late on to seal their win, while a frustrated Inter hit the woodwork twice through Lautaro Martinez and Federico Dimarco.

`Despite the short time frame, I praise the players for believing in the new plan.

I convinced them that it would work, Gaucho told a press conference.

`Inter are a great team. They have much more money than us, but on the pitch it`s 11 against 11. The group believed, fought hard and stayed focused for the entire 90 minutes. Bravo! Fluminense become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.

Fluminense captain Thiago Silva had extra reason to celebrate the win over Inter, revelling not only in his team`s historic performance but also in beating his former club`s city rivals.

`I was thinking here and thinking about Milan,` he told DAZN after the match in Charlotte. `I`m sure the AC Milan fans will be happy about Inter`s defeat and our victory.

The centre-back, who also enjoyed successful spells at Paris St-Germain and Chelsea, praised his team`s outstanding performance in overcoming the Champions League runners-up.

`This is a very important result for us.

We knew it wasn`t going to be an easy game. They played in the Champions League final less than a month ago, Silva added.

Inter, who were thrashed 5-0 by PSG in the Champions League final, appointed Cristian Chivu to replace the departing Inzaghi ahead of the tournament.

They did not fully convince during the group stage despite topping their section and a furious Martinez criticised some of his team-mates after the game.

`I want to fight for the major trophies, (so) anyone who wants to stay at Inter, fine, let`s fight, but anyone who doesn`t want to stay can leave,` said Inter`s captain. `We need players who want to be here. We`re wearing an important shirt...

we need a top-level mentality, or please leave.`-Agencies