Flamengo lost 3-2 to Al Hilal in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, with Brazil coach Vitor Pereira blaming the “one-sided” refereeing of Istvan Kovac for the defeat.

Istvan KovacsPhoto: Orange Pics BV / Alamy / Alamy / Profimedia

The brigade, led by center Istvan Kovac, who was assisted on two lines by Vasile Marinescu and Mihai Artene, awarded two shots from 11 meters for Al Hilal and a clearance for Flamengo (Gerson, in extra time of the first half).

They scored: Al-Dausari ‘4, ’45+9 (both from penalties), Vietto ’70 / Pedro (’20, ’90+1).

Here you can see the result of the match Flamengo – Al Hilal.

“Flamengo” coach criticized Istvan Kovac: “He did not meet the standards of the competition”

Pereira argued that the Romanian referee had allowed Al Hilal players to waste time and had different criteria in handing out yellow cards: while Flamengo received seven, the Saudi team received only three.

“We were ready to play Al Hilal, but we were not ready for refereeing that was not up to the standard of the competition. It was a huge lack of criteria, it was difficult officiating and if it wasn’t for the personality of our players I’m sure we would have finished the match with more red cards.

He was lenient with one stop after another. Al-Hilal’s only shots in the first half were penalties. Therefore, if the match had ended 11 vs 11, we would have been the better team.

We had attacks but we couldn’t convert them into goals. In the second half, there was less of a player, there was no question of apathy, but it is difficult to play one less person” – Vitor Pereiraat a press conference quoted by Reuters.

Al-Hilal coach contradicts Vitor Pereira

Ramon Diaz, Al Hilal’s coach, disagreed with Pereira and said the penalties were well taken by Kovac.

“Flamengo were surprised by our quality and how prepared we were, morally and strategically. He didn’t expect us to change from 4-3-3 to 4-4-1-1 with Luciano Vietto as an attacking midfielder.

Vietto gets behind his defensive midfielders and was brilliant, winning both penalties and scoring a big goal for us” – Ramon Diazcoach Al Hilal.

Know:

  • Al Hilal, the first Saudi team to reach the Club World Cup final, will face the winner of the match between Real Madrid and Al Ahly for the trophy in Rabat on Wednesday.
  • Flamengo became only the fourth Brazilian team and the sixth South American champion to lose in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup.