Xabi Alonso's much awaited managerial debut did not take off in the scorching Florida sun as Real Madrid limped to a hard-fought 1-1 draw against a resolute Al Hilal team in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The 15-time European champions struggled to establish their rhythm in a contest that never really got going on a sweltering Wednesday night at Miami's nearly filled Hard Rock Stadium, displaying only fleeting moments of cohesiveness and excellence.

After a smooth series of exchanges down the right flank, Gonzalo Garcia took advantage of Kylian Mbappé's illness to score a calm finish in the 34th minute, giving the impression that Real Madrid had finally settled into a rhythm.

Al Hilal, however, weren't satisfied with just relaxing. Just before halftime, Portuguese playmaker Ruben Neves coolly equalized from the penalty spot, sending Thibaut Courtois reeling with a self-assured drive. Simone Inzaghi's team unnerved their more decorated adversaries with a combination of defensive sturdiness and incisive offensive surges.

Federico Valverde had a last-minute penalty attempt to save the game, but it missed the mark. It was a difficult evening in which Real Madrid's inspiration and energy seemed to vanish in the intense Miami heat.

Al Hilal appeared anything but overwhelmed, so a defeat might have been unfair. Under Inzaghi's leadership, the most decorated team in Saudi Arabia created excellent chances of their own and would have won all three points if it weren't for a controversial VAR call that gave Madrid a late advantage they were ultimately unable to seize.

Al Hilal could have had an even more wonderful evening. Leonardo had three clear shots on goal but was unable to convert any of them, resulting in costly misses that could come back to haunt the Saudi team. If star forward Aleksandar Mitrović had been available, the result would have been different; his presence alone could have tipped the scales and perhaps resulted in a historic victory.

With the group rankings still up in the air, RB Salzburg and Pachuca will play each other later on Wednesday in Group H.

On Sunday, Real Madrid will play again against Pachuca of Mexico in what should be a crucial test of their abilities. In the meantime, the encounter between Salzburg and Al Hilal might decide who advances to the knockout stage.

There were more debutants under the Florida lights besides Xabi Alonso. Additionally, Trent Alexander-Arnold made his first start for Los Blancos since moving from Liverpool, which was a little but important step in his development at the Spanish powerhouse.

 “We dominated the stands today as well, and the support was amazing. I felt support from the moment I signed for the club, Their fan base is truly global. You feel it everywhere, from the hotel to social media.” Trent Alexander-Arnold said.

“Disappointed not to do that, but there were a lot of positives in the second half. We kept the ball better in the second half, in the heat here, it’s best to keep hold of it for as long as you can and let the other side do the running,”

“We made them sit deep in the second half, put crosses in and got shots off. We had the late penalty, but these things happen in football.” he added.

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