Yassine Bounou (34, Al Hilal), the goalkeeper who led the African team Morocco to the semifinals of the FIFA Qatar World Cup, took the lead in sinking Manchester City (Man City), regarded as the world's strongest team.
On the 1st (Korea time), Bounou started in the round of 16 match against Man City at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, making an impressive 10 saves to help Al Hilal secure a 4-3 victory after extra time.
Bounou conceded 3 goals to Man City's offense on that day. However, he saved Al Hilal from crisis by showcasing his skills at crucial moments. This was a key factor that allowed Al Hilal to become the only Asian club to reach the quarterfinals.
Having played all 4 matches of the tournament, Bounou recorded a total of 23 saves, making him the goalkeeper with the most saves in the tournament. Notably, the 10 saves he made that day tied the record for the most saves in club World Cup history.
Bounou's performance stood out from the group stage. In the first match against Real Madrid (Spain) (1-1 draw), despite conceding a goal, he made 6 saves, including a late penalty save from Valverde, rescuing his team from defeat.
In the second match against Salzburg (Austria) (0-0 draw), he made 5 crucial saves and was named Player Of The Match (POTM). In the last match against Pachuca (Mexico) (2-0 win), he led the team to a victory without conceding any goals through steady game management and two saves.
Bounou gained recognition by leading Morocco to the semifinals at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. After leaving Sevilla in the summer of 2023, Bounou transferred to Al Hilal after a failed move to Real Madrid and continued to perform well.
Meanwhile, Al Hilal, who has reached the quarterfinals, will face Fluminense (Brazil), who defeated Inter Milan (Italy), for a ticket to the semifinals. If Al Hilal reaches the semifinals, they will clash with Palmeiras (Brazil) or Chelsea (England).
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