Bafetimbi Gomis sent debutants Al Hilal into the FIFA Club World Cup 2019 semifinals as his goal saw off Esperance Sportive de Tunis in the quarterfinal at the Al Sadd Stadium on Saturday.

Gomiz struck the all-important goal in the 73rd minute.

Gomiz was the top scorer with 11 goals in the 2019 AFC Champions League, where Al Hilal defeated Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan in the final. The Saudi Arabian side had beaten Qatar’s Al Sadd in the semifinal.

Al Hilal will meet South American big guns Flamengo in the semifinal on Tuesday.

A keenly-contested encounter between Asian and African champions was settled when the French striker produced a sublime moment of skill and cool finish.

The pair had been evenly matched from the outset in a frenetic and lively clash. Esperance’s Anice Badri was the first to come close, firing just wide, before Al Hilal ended the opening period the stronger as Andre Carrillo’s effort needed both Moez Ben Charifia and Mohamed Yakoubi to keep it out.

The Saudi side’s keeper Abdullah Almuaiouf had to be on high alert when full-back Yasser Al Shahrani almost scored a comical looping own goal, producing a clawing save that set them on the way to victory.

Having been benched as a precautionary measure, Gomis took just eight minutes to produce a magical winner. Rolling off the shoulder of the backline, he conjured a masterful flick to deceive the sliding defender before slotting into the bottom corner.