The opening Group A match of the Club World Cup between Inter Miami and Al Ahly ended in a goalless draw, despite a flurry of opportunities for both sides at Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida. The clash showcased moments of brilliance and high-intensity football, but ultimately lacked the finishing touch needed to separate the two teams.
Al Ahly started the stronger side, dominating the first half and creating multiple chances. Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari was the clear standout, keeping his side in the game with a string of vital saves. His most crucial intervention came in the 42nd minute when he saved a penalty from David Trezeguet. The penalty was awarded after Telasco Segovia fouled Ahmed Sayed (Zizo) inside the box. Zizo, who had replaced Emam Ashour early on due to injury, was a constant threat during his time on the pitch.
Inter Miami looked heavily reliant on Lionel Messi for attacking impetus. The Argentine maestro was central to nearly all their forward play, as the team appeared disjointed and spread too far apart when defending. This opened them up to frequent Al Ahly counter-attacks, which exposed the fragility in their defensive transitions.
Despite their struggles, Inter Miami nearly found a breakthrough late in the first half when a goal-bound shot from Nicolás Allende was dramatically cleared off the line by an Al Ahly defender.
The second half saw tactical adjustments from Inter Miami. Manager Javier Mascherano substituted Tomas Aviles at halftime after the young defender, already on a yellow card, came close to receiving a second. Marcelo Weigandt replaced him in a move that brought more stability to the backline.
Inter Miami looked more composed after the break and began to control possession. Nevertheless, Al Ahly continued to test Ustari with speculative efforts from distance. Messi almost provided the spark his team needed when his free-kick narrowly curled past the post, giving fans a moment of false celebration.
The final ten minutes saw Inter Miami press hard for a winner. In the 85th minute, Messi delivered a pin-point cross that Haitian forward Fafà Picault headed toward goal, only to be denied by a superb reflex save from Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy. Messi again came agonizingly close in stoppage time with a cross-shot that struck the post. From the resulting corner, Falcon’s header was once more saved by the alert El Shenawy.
Although both teams earned a point, it was Inter Miami who seemed to depend too much on their talisman, Messi, while Al Ahly’s disciplined defensive structure and goalkeeper’s heroics kept them in the contest. Inter Miami will next face FC Porto, while Al Ahly takes on Palmeiras, with both matches scheduled for Thursday.
