By Mohamed Islam Bouteraa

It was beneath the glittering lights of Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium that Real Madrid and Al-Hilal battled a thrilling 1-1 draw in their FIFA Club World Cup opener

a match that had fans on the edge of their seats until the very end. Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou proved to be a hero when he saved a penalty in injury time, thus denying Madrid a dramatic win and securing a well-deserved point for the Saudi club.

A Night of Firsts and New Beginnings

It was more than a match; it was the official beginning of Xabi Alonso as the new Real Madrid manager, taking over from Carlo Ancelotti. Meanwhile, former Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi managed Al-Hilal for the first time in the league, bringing his European experience to the Saudi Pro League champions.

The stakes were high, and the tension was real. Madrid, who had a trophy-less season, had to begin with some kind of impetus. Al-Hilal, on the other hand, wanted to demonstrate that it deserved a place alongside Europe's elite clubs.

Early Drama: Forbidden Objectives and Missed Opportunities

Al-Hilal started strong, putting Thibaut Courtois to the test early as Sergej Milinković-Savić unleashed a powerful shot. Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo subsequently missed a good opportunity by not making good contact on the ball from Salem Al-Dawsari's pass.

The Saudi team thought that they had gained the upper hand when Renan Lodi scored beautifully, but the flag of the linesman soon put an end to their jubilation, and it came as an enormous relief to Madrid.

Madrid is in front, but Al-Hilal comes back. Against the run of play, Real Madrid got into their groove. In the absence of ailing Kylian Mbappé, young Spanish striker Gonzalo García proved more than an adequate substitute, scoring with a composed finish in the 34th minute following a fluid team move. But Al-Hilal did not give up. Just before halftime, they were given a penalty when Raúl Asencio awkwardly felled Marcos Leonardo within the penalty box. Portuguese midfielder Rúben Neves slotted in with ease, beating Courtois to draw level.

Second-Half Fireworks and Bounou's Moment of Heroism.

During the second period, Madrid piled on more pressure.

Alonso unveiled Turkish star Arda Güler, and he nearly had an instant effect with a powerful shot that struck the crossbar. Vinícius Júnior caused plenty of problems for Al-Hilal's defense, playing García in with a header that Bounou was able to palm away from close range. Just when it seemed the match would finish level, there was controversy late in stoppage time.

A VAR check showed Mohammed Al-Qahtani had handballed the ball, and Madrid was awarded a penalty. Federico Valverde stepped up to take the penalty, but Bounou, undaunted, dived to his left to save the penalty. This led to wild celebrations on Al-Hilal's bench and in their stands.

What's Next?

Xabi Alonso admitted that his side needed to play better, but he saw some good things in them after halftime. "We played better after the break, but we need to be more precise. This is just the start," he said. 

For Al-Hilal and Inzaghi, the draw seemed significant. They did not merely wait; rather, they battled against one of the world's top clubs and received a just outcome. 

Coming up: Real Madrid take on Pachuca from Mexico and need to win to stay in with a shout. Al-Hilal play RB Salzburg in the vital game that will see them through. 

This match shows that Group H promises to deliver exciting football to watch.