Al Ahly coach Jose Riveiro expressed disappointment after his side settled for a goalless draw against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in their opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Despite an impressive display, particularly in the first half, Riveiro felt his team missed a golden opportunity to claim all three points.
In what was his first competitive match in charge since taking over from Orlando Pirates, Riveiro praised his side’s intensity and organization but rued their inability to convert clear-cut chances. Al Ahly dominated much of the first half and came close to breaking the deadlock, only to be denied by Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, who made five key saves before halftime.
One of the biggest moments of the match came in the 43rd minute when Al Ahly were awarded a penalty. Trezeguet stepped up to take it but was denied by Ustari, whose heroics ensured the match remained scoreless heading into the break.
“It’s a football game, a game of mistakes,” said Riveiro after the match. “We had a decent amount of chances in the first half to put the game in a different space and we put them in a hurry.”
Riveiro admitted that his team’s second-half performance was not up to the level they had shown in the opening 45 minutes. Al Ahly were forced to defend deeper than intended and struggled with transition play, particularly when trying to build from the back under pressure.
“In the second half, we were defending a little lower than what we wanted and then we had some problems in transition with controlling our first pass,” he said.
What surprised Riveiro most was the level of support his team received in the United States. The passionate backing from the stands gave Al Ahly a home-like atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium.
“It’s like we were playing in Cairo and that was a surprise for me in my first official match with Al Ahly,” he said. “To be here in the States and have it like you were playing at home is something that can probably only happen in this competition.”
While much of the pre-match attention was focused on Lionel Messi, the Argentine superstar endured a frustrating evening. Isolated for large stretches and heavily marked, Messi was unable to exert his usual influence on the game. His few moments of magic were dealt with by Al Ahly’s disciplined defense, and Inter Miami found it difficult to break down their opponents.
Al Ahly will now shift focus to their second group game against Brazilian giants Palmeiras on June 19 at MetLife Stadium. Meanwhile, Inter Miami will face Portuguese side FC Porto on the same day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as both teams seek their first win of the tournament.
