Sad night for Ighalo as Chelsea end Al Hilal’s Club World Cup dreams

The Super Eagles star was on target for his Saudi Arabian side in their last game, but this time he was silenced

Odion Ighalo’s Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal were knocked out of the FIFA Club World Cup after they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.

Al Hilal entered the fixture fresh off a comprehensive 6-1 victory over United Arab Emirates side Al Jazira in the quarter-finals. Super Eagles star Odion Ighalo scored the first goal of the game for the Saudi Arabian Champions.

However, it was a different story for Al Hilal as they faced a more formidable opposition in the semifinal.

Chelsea dominated the game from the very blast of the whistle, they bossed possession, and Al Hilal had to depend on counter-attacks.

Chelsea were quite wasteful in front of goal, with Lukaku and Christiensen missing chances early on.

Nevertheless, the European Champions’ quality showed just before halftime, as Lukaku pounced on a defensive mistake from the Al Hilal defence to slot in from close range, giving Chelsea a one-goal lead.

Odion Ighalo was pretty silent in the game. His partnership with Moussa Marega failed to create sparks in the game, as they were well marshalled by the Chelsea defence.

The Super Eagles star had only 24 touches and registered a shot off target. Al Hilal pushed for goals in the second half, but the Chelsea defence were sturdy and strong.

It finished 1-0 at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium. And The loss means that Al-Hilal will face African Champions Al Ahly on Saturday in the third-place match