Tangiers, Feb. 8 (BNA): Saudi striker Salem Al-Dosari once again returned to the scoreboard in a big match.
Al-Dosari, who scored the winning goal in Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 victory over Argentina in the World Cup, scored two penalties to help Al-Hilal beat Brazil’s Flamengo 3-2 in the Club World Cup semi-finals on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.
The Saudi Arabian champions will play either Real Madrid or Egypt’s Al-Ahly in the final on Saturday. It’s the first time the club has progressed this far.
“This is about history, Hilal,” the club said on Twitter. “Look where we are!”
Al-Hilal opened the scoring from a penalty kick in the fourth minute, with Al-Dosari, after a mistake by Luciano Vito.
But Flamengo quickly picked up the pace and equalized when Pedro, who was also at the World Cup with Brazil, scored in the 20th minute with a cross that slid gently past the goalkeeper.
The Copa Libertadores champions continued to press, but the video decision helped dramatically turn the tide in first-half stoppage time.
Vietto went down again in the penalty area and the officials later watched as a touch from Gerson knocked him out. The Brazilian was sent off after a second yellow, and Al-Dosari added a second calm to the Saudis.
Flamengo coach Vitor Pereira, who took over in January, replaced star midfielder Giorgian de Arascaita with Eric Polgar, a player with more defensive positions. His strategy didn’t work and the Saudis came back strong in the second half.
Minutes after Al-Hilal hit a Flamengo cross, Vito added the third goal in the 74th minute, with a shot from close range, to make the score 3-1.
Pedro scored Flamengo’s second goal in stoppage time, but this was the last shot on goal for the Brazilians.
“We couldn’t come back,” Everton midfielder Ribeiro told reporters after the game. “It will be a difficult moment for us, a moment of criticism, but it will be another challenge that we have to overcome.”
The two teams also met at the same stage in 2019, with Flamengo winning 3-1 before losing the final to Liverpool 1-0.
The last time a non-European team won the Club World Cup was in 2012, when Brazilian Corinthians beat Chelsea 1-0 in Japan.