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RABAT: Morocco's Wydad AC's drums sounded loud on a bright and dramatic Saturday afternoon in Rabat at the FIFA Club World Cup, but they were eventually muted by Al-Musab Hilal's Al-Juwayr.
After the game finished 1-1, the Saudi Arabian heavyweights won a penalty shootout 5-3 thanks to the adolescent midfielder's final kick. The Asian champions get over their African rivals to the semi-finals and a meeting with Flamengo of Brazil. If this is any indication, it should be an exciting encounter.
Two hours of high-octane football finished 1-1, but there was much more to it. A header from Wydad's Ayoub Emloud early in the second half has supporters in the North African country as enthusiastic as they were during the 2022 World Cup, when Morocco reached the semi-finals and were the toast of Qatar.
Saudi Arabia's World Cup may not have been as spectacular, but the club competition will be far superior.
One of the rare occasions the home fans was quiet was in extra time when Yahya Jabrane, the African champions' captain, was sent off after appealing a penalty. Mohamed Kanno converted the resulting penalty kick to send the game into extra time, during which he was also ejected by the referee.
Al-Hilal scored all of their penalties, while Wydad missed one.
For a long time, it appeared like the 18-time Saudi champions were on their way out in a game that kept the 45,000-person limit audience at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium enthralled. The stadium was in Rabat, but it felt and sounded like the Moroccan superpower was playing at home in Casablanca. The red wall behind the goals was constantly jumping and singing, urging the white team ahead.
It appeared to work, as Wydad started brightly and looked threatening, particularly from set pieces, with Yahya Jabrane shooting over from a free-kick.
Indeed, after 19 minutes, they appeared to have grabbed the lead when Jalal Daoudi stroked the ball in from close range. However, the assistant referee rightly ruled that the experienced midfielder was offside.
After 23 minutes, Al-Hilal had their first genuine shot on goal, but Nasser Al-Dawsari fired a free-kick from a dangerous position way over the bar.
Al-Hilal became more involved in the game as the half went, however the host team continued to have better chances, such as the effort on the stroke of half-time. Didier Lamkel Ze, Wydad's new Cameroonian attacker, fired in a great cross from the left, but Ayoub El-Amloud couldn't get enough on it, and the defender's glancing header went wide.
Al-Hilal came dangerously near straight after the restart. A right-wing corner from Salem Al-Dawsari went to Ali Al-Buhali, whose close-range snap shot was cleared off the line by Lamkel Ze.
Wydad's seventh corner kick proved decisive in the 51st minute, when El-Amloud rose at the far post to fire a powerful header beyond Abdullah Al-Mayouf.
The Asian champions came out firing but were unable to convert pressure into opportunities, though they came near with 20 minutes remaining when Odion Ighalo's close-range drive was well-saved by Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti and Salem Al-follow-up Dawsari's was blocked on the line by Amine Farhane.
Al-Hilal, who have never advanced beyond the tournament's semi-finals, pressed forward in quest of an equaliser, and their chance arrived at the end of regular time when they were granted a penalty due to a handball in the area. Wydad captain Jabrane was booked twice in a row and was sent off.
In the midst of the uproar, Kanno held his calm to slot the ball right down the middle, and the momentum had shifted in favour of the Asian champions. Luciano Vietto almost won the game in the eighth minute of injury time, but his free-kick was saved by the goalie.
The Riyadh giants were unable to score before extra time, and when the game resumed, they were shortly reduced to 10 men as Kanno was handed a second yellow card for a foul.
Then it was five penalties apiece. Following Moussa Marega's opening for Al-Hilal, Yahia Attiyat Allah's shot struck both posts but did not go in, putting Wydad in difficulty. For the Riyadh club, Vietto, Saleh Al-Shehri, and finally Abdullah Al-Hamdan scored, leaving replacement Al-Jawary to provide the glory and a trip to the last four.
