Fluminense stun Al-Hilal to reach Club World Cup semi-final

A well-placed strike midway through the second half seals the deal

Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Quarter Final - Fluminense v Al Hilal - Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida, US - Jul 4, 2025 Fluminense's Thiago Santos and Thiago Silva celebrate after the match REUTERS/Hannah Mckay TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Brazil's Fluminense continued their fairy-tale run at the Club World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal on Friday in Orlando, Florida, to book their place in the semi-finals.

The tournament underdogs struck first through Matheus Martinelli in the opening half before Al-Hilal hit back after the break when Marcus Leonardo found the net.

But Fluminense refused to be denied and regained their lead in the 70th minute through Hercules to secure a memorable win over Al-Hilal in the first meeting between the two clubs.

The Brazilian side, who entered the tournament as one of the biggest long shots, will now face the winners of Friday's other quarter-final clash between Palmeiras and Chelsea.