Salzburg and Al Hilal play to scoreless draw at the Club World Cup, group remains up for grabs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Al Hilal dominated possession but Salzburg's defense held in a scoreless draw on Sunday that meant that Group H would come down a pair of consequential upcoming matches in the Club World Cup.

Earlier in the day, Real Madrid defeated Pachuca 3-1, eliminating the Liga MX club. But with the tie between Al Hilal and Salzburg, the group's spots in the knockout round remained up for grabs.

Salzburg will face a challenging match against Real Madrid in Philadelphia on Thursday with Kylian Mbappe likely return after missing Real Madrid’s first two matches, according to coach Xabi Alonso. Al Hilal will face Pachuca in Nashville the same day.

Al Hilal, the runners up at the 2022 Club World Cup, pressured Salzburg from the start, with nearly 62 percent possession through the first half. They took 10 shots, but had just one on target. For the game, Al Hilal had four shots on goal.

It was clear that Al Hilal was missing the finishing touch of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has missed both of the team’s Club World Cup matches with a muscle injury.

The announced attendance At Audi Field was 16,167 fans, with big swaths of the crowd clad in Al Hilal's bright blue. In the final moments, the crowd chanted for Al Hilal, urging the team to score.

Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stopped a nearly point blank shot from Salzburg’s John Mellberg early in the second half. Moments later, Salzburg goalkeeper Christian Zawieschitzky saved a shot by Rúben Neves from outside the box as the game grew tense.

Al Hilal has proven resilient throughout its first two matches. The club drew 1-1 with Real Madrid in its opening match with Neves converting a penalty and Bounou saving a penalty attempt at the death.

“I think it's important in these competitions not to lose. We played today against a very good team. They defended very well, they didn't give us a lot of space. So it was difficult to find a solution. I think the draw is a very good result to play the third game with options,” — Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

“We have four points after two matches and the boys are sitting in the room and they''re disappointed. I think about it differently. We played against a very strong opponent, Al Hilal, and we showed good quality, we defended very well. We did it well with all the young players,” Salzburg coach Thomas Letsch said.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Red Bull Salzburg players take a drinks break during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Salzburg and Al Hilal in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Red Bull Salzburg players take a drinks break during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Salzburg and Al Hilal in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Red Bull Salzburg's Frans Kratzig, right, takes on Al-Hilal's Joao Cancelo during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Salzburg and Al Hilal in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Al-Hilal's Malcom reacts after missing a chance during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Salzburg and Al Hilal in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Al-Hilal's Mohamed Kanno, front, makes a header ahead of Red Bull Salzburg's John Mellberg during the Club World Cup Group H soccer match between Salzburg and Al Hilal in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

PHOENIX (AP) — Lauren Betts had 16 points and made a huge block late, and UCLA withstood a late charge by Texas on Friday night for a 51-44 win to reach the women's NCAA Tournament national championship game for the first time.

Manhandled by eventual national champion UConn in their first Final Four a year ago, the Bruins (36-1) dominated their way to another national semifinal with the best season in program history.

A chance at a first national championship game appearance had to go through the only team to beat them this season.

Overpowered in the first meeting, the Bruins turned the bully tables on Texas (35-4), shutting down All-American Madison Booker while building a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.

The Longhorns are one of the nation's best defensive teams and flexed their D during a 12-2 run that cut UCLA's lead to 47-44.

Betts swatted the Texas run to halt.

She blocked Booker's shot with 20 seconds left and Kiki Rice hit two free throws, sending coach Cori Close's crew into the title game.

The grinding win earns the Bruins a spot Sunday’s title game against South Carolina, the three-time national champions who ended reigning champion UConn’s undefeated season and left Huskies’ coach Geno Auriemma fuming.

So was Booker after a brutal finish to what was otherwise a stellar season. She hit her first shot, missed her next 17 and finished with six points on 3-of-23 shooting.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

UCLA head coach Cori Close motions towards the court during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UCLA and Texas at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) shoots against Texas during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Texas head coach Vic Schaefer motions towards the court during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) drives against Texas guard Bryanna Preston, left, during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)