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'For sure we have the principles to start building something, but we could have won,' Real head coach Xabi Alonso told broadcaster DAZN.
Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde saw his late penalty saved as Real Madrid could only draw 1-1 with Al Hilal. Picture: Patricia DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP
Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal at the Club World Cup in new coach Xabi Alonso’s first game in charge on Wednesday, after Manchester City got off to a winning start.
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In the late game Juventus thrashed Al Ain 5-0 in Washington after visiting US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Real penalty saved
Federico Valverde had a stoppage-time penalty saved as Real were forced to settle for a point in the Group H match in Miami having taken the lead.
It was a disappointing outcome for the large contingent of fans of the Spanish side in the crowd of 62,415 at Hard Rock Stadium.
“The first half wasn’t as good as the second one. In the second half we had better chances, better control. For sure we have the principles to start building something, but we could have won,” Alonso told broadcaster DAZN.
The former Bayer Leverkusen coach gave debuts to new signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen in defence but Real were missing Kylian Mbappe through illness.
Gonzalo Garcia started in his place and the 21-year-old seized his chance as he opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark from a Rodrygo assist.
Al Hilal hit back in their new coach Simone Inzaghi’s first game on the bench with Ruben Neves levelling before the break from the penalty spot following a Raul Asencio foul.
Real had the chance to claim victory in stoppage time after Mohammed Al Qahtani was ruled to have put his hand in the face of Fran Garcia in the box.
However, Valverde’s spot-kick was saved by Yassine Bounou to give the Saudi team a draw after a hugely creditable performance.
RB Salzburg took the lead in Group H with a 2-1 win over Mexican outfit Pachuca in Cincinnati.
The match was suspended early in the second half with the Austrian team leading 1-0 because of a storm, resuming 97 minutes later.
Juve dominant
Juventus, who sent a delegation to the White House earlier in the day to present Trump with a club shirt, surged to the top of Group G with a crushing triumph over UAE team Al Ain at Audi Field.
On loan Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both struck twice while Kenan Yildiz was also on target.
“I’m delighted for my goals but first and foremost for the team’s win,” Conceicao, on loan from Porto, told DAZN.
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“We started the game well and that’s what we wanted to do, to win this opening match and now we need to kick on.”
The second round of group games begins on Thursday, with matches including Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami against Porto and European champions Paris Saint-Germain facing Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo.
