In a highly anticipated opening match on Saturday 14 June of the revamped Club World Cup, Inter Miami and Al Ahly played to a 0-0 draw at Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, which captivated fans with a tense and competitive display.
Al Ahly dominated much of the first half by creating numerous opportunities to take the lead. However, they were consistently thwarted by the performance of Inter Miami’s veteran goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari.
The highlight of his evening came when he made a spectacular penalty save against Trezeguet just before halftime, preserving the score at 0-0 and earning him the Man of the Match title.
Despite controlling the game, Al Ahly faced frustration as they had a goal disallowed for offside and squandered other scoring chances in the first half.
Lionel Messi, who was relatively quiet in the first half, began to find his rhythm in the second. He tested Al Ahly’s goalkeeper, Mohamed El Shenawy, with a powerful free kick that nearly broke the deadlock.
Messi also provided a key assist to Fafa Picault, whose header was saved.
As the match progressed, Messi’s increasing involvement raised hopes among the Miami supporters, particularly when he nearly curled a low free kick into the net, only to hit the side netting.
Both goalkeepers continued to shine throughout the match. El Shenawy matched Ustari’s level with crucial saves of his own, particularly in the closing moments when he denied Messi’s late attempt that could have sealed a victory for Miami.
As the opening match of Group A concludes, both teams will now shift their focus to their upcoming fixtures. Al Ahly is set to face Brazilian side Palmeiras at New York’s MetLife Stadium on Thursday 19 June, while Inter Miami will take on Portuguese club Porto in Atlanta on Thursday 19 June.
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