3-0 Real Madrid unbeaten in three rounds, Riyadh Crescent advances with buzzer, Asian teams set a record

On the morning of June 27, the last round of the H group stage of the Club World Cup was settled. Real Madrid defeated Salzburg 3-0, successfully won the top spot in the group with 7 points in three rounds, and advanced to the top 16 with his head held high. At the same time, Riyadh Crescent won 2-0 against Pachuca, ranking second in the group with 5 points, becoming the first Asian team to advance to the knockout stage in this tournament. Both teams advanced remain unbeaten, with Real Madrid facing Juventus in the next 1/8 finals, while Riyadh Crescent will challenge Premier League giants Manchester City.

This game is of great significance to Real Madrid. They won one win and one draw in the previous two rounds. Although they had never lost, the situation of qualifying was still unclear. They had to get at least one point in the last round to ensure promotion. Salzburg also scored 2 points, and the showdown between the two sides was actually an early knockout match. Although Real Madrid is far ahead in value and experience and still faces a lot of pressure, they finally controlled the situation with their rich game experience. Vinicius and Valverde's outstanding performance was impressive. The former contributed a goal and the latter gave an assist. Gonzalo's goal completely secured the victory. Real Madrid easily won with a clean and neat score of 3-0. Although Salzburg was defeated, it was not without a chance. Dajim and Nene have created threats many times, almost breaking Real Madrid's goal, but they are a little less accurate. Although Real Madrid's performance in three group stages was not perfect, its ability to maintain unbeaten and advance smoothly shows its profound background.

In contrast, the promotion of the Riyadh Crescent is more historically significant. As Asian teams, it is not easy for them to successfully break through in world-class competitions. Only two goals were scored in three games in the group stage, but each goal was extremely critical. Facing the eliminated Pachuca, the team performed decisively and efficiently. Davasari took the lead first, and Leonardo won another goal in stoppage time, locked in the victory 2-0, and qualified with a 5-point advantage, creating a breakthrough for the Asian team under the New Club World Cup system.

From the data level, Riyadh's crescent ball possession rate reached 53%, with only 1 hit on the target with only 5 shots but two goals, reflecting extremely high offensive efficiency. Although the offensive firepower is limited, the team is very good at seizing valuable opportunities. In contrast, Pachuca ranked last with 0 points, and Xinyue’s qualifying was by no means a lucky person, but a calm and effective tactical execution.

Riyadh Crescent's performance this time undoubtedly won glory for Asian football. For a long time, West Asia teams have been questioned for lack of strength and relying on financial resources to build a lineup, it is difficult to compete with top-level teams. But this time, they were in the same group as Real Madrid and Salzburg, and were unbeaten in three battles in such a fierce "Death Group", and advanced, fully demonstrating their hard strength.

Next to face the strong Manchester City, this top European team, has a lot of pressure on New Moon, but it is not completely out of the way. The key is whether you can seize the limited sporadic opportunities. Although it is extremely difficult to win Manchester City, even if you lose, if you can play a competitive game, it will be enough to win respect.

The breakthrough of the Riyadh new moon marks a major leap for Asian teams under the New World Club Cup system. In the past, Asian teams were often regarded as "runners" and it was difficult to enter the knockout stage. This time, they not only qualified, but also relied on their excellent performance in drawing Real Madrid and beating Pachuca, which proved their value.

With the end of the group stage, the roster of the 1/8 finals has also been announced: the first half includes Inter Milan vs. Fruminense, Manchester City faces Riyadh Crescent, Palmeiras vs. Botafogo, Benfica vs. Chelsea; the second half is Paris Saint-Germain vs. Miami International, Flamenco vs. Bayern, Real Madrid vs. Juventus, and Dortmund vs. Monterrey. Fans can not only lock in the match between Real Madrid and Juventus, but also pay attention to the "dark horse" battle of Crescent Challenge Manchester City.

Although Riyadh Crescent's playing style is not as gorgeous and versatile as Real Madrid, they always remain steady and calm, neither advancing nor cringing. This pragmatic and tough style of play shows a unique and tough charm.

Of course, the team also has shortcomings. For example, there is still room for improvement in shooting efficiency, especially when facing a world-class team like Manchester City, any missed opportunity may lead to a loss in the whole game. At the same time, the midfield organization is relatively dull, and once the transmission rhythm is suppressed by the opponent, the situation may fall into a passive state. But these problems did not appear overnight, but were long-standing bottlenecks in Asian football. This time they entered the knockout stage means that they are gradually making up for their shortcomings. After the game, discussions on "Whether Riyadh Crescent can beat Manchester City in an upset manner" have spread. Although there is little hope for winning, the game itself is very interesting. After all, Asian teams compete on the same field as European champions is the charm of football. The charm of football comes not only from the competition between the giants, but also from those "impossible" miracle moments. Perhaps, this time they can really create miracles.