Inter Miami and Al Ahly played out a gripping 0-0 stalemate to kick off the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) at Hard Rock Stadium, with this being the Egyptian outfit’s third draw in their last 28 CWC appearances (W11, L14).
While the audience in Miami may have been eager to witness a magical display from Lionel Messi, the true standout of the first half was Oscar Ustari, who repeatedly thwarted the Egyptians with a string of remarkable saves.
Wessam Abou Ali was the first to threaten, forcing a superb save in the eighth minute, and Ustari was quick to react again, denying Emam Ashour moments later. Ali had a goal disallowed for offside before Ustari showcased his skills once more, this time stopping a point-blank effort from Achraf Dari.
Javier Mascherano’s team looked vulnerable at the back, struggling to handle the swift counter-attacks directed at them.
It seemed a goal was imminent just before the halftime break when Zizo was brought down in the box, winning a penalty. However, Ustari remained resolute, saving Trezeguet’s penalty and then recovering to block the follow-up.
Despite Al Ahly’s dominance, they nearly faced a setback just before halftime, with Ali producing a fantastic goalline clearance that kept the score level.
Whatever motivation Mascherano provided at halftime had a noticeable effect, as his side appeared more dangerous after the break.
The first significant opportunity for them came when the ball fell into the six-yard area for Tadeo Allende, but he was unable to find a way past the impressive Mohamed El Shenawy, who made a brilliant save.
Perhaps hampered by the heat, the game saw a decline in intensity during the last 20 minutes, with neither team able to take control.
There were two late chances, with Messi delivering an audacious curling shot that was tipped onto the crossbar by El Shenawy’s acrobatic save, and the resulting corner caused a moment of panic but ultimately resulted in nothing.
In a challenging group featuring Porto and Palmeiras, both teams may have been hoping for three points to kick-start their tournament, but they can certainly draw some positives from this outing.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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