Club World Cup: Inter Miami and Al-Ahly end it goalless in opener

By Mark Ogagan

In a thrilling start to the Club World Cup, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Al Ahly of Egypt battled to a 0-0 draw on Sunday morning at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens.

The match had several intense moments, including a near goal from Messi in extra time that was spectacularly saved, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.

Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, delivered a curling shot from the right side in the 96th minute, only for goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy to dive and tip the ball off the crossbar, preserving the deadlock. Earlier, Messi also came close with a free kick in the 60th minute, which grazed the post.

The first half was dominated by Al Ahly, the 12-time African champions, putting on the back foot. Miami’s veteran Argentine goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, 38, was pivotal, producing several key saves, including a crucial double stop just before halftime.

Ustari first denied a penalty from Trezeguet in the 43rd minute and then quickly blocked the rebound attempt, denying the Egyptian forward a second chance.

After a challenging first half, Inter Miami showed improvement in the second period, creating more opportunities and testing Al Ahly’s defense. Despite their efforts, both teams ended the match without scoring, setting up a tough battle ahead in Group A.

With this draw, both teams remain in contention but face a challenging path to advance. Group A also features Brazilian powerhouse Palmeiras and Portugal’s , with only the top two teams moving on to the round of 16.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano reflected on the experience: “It was a good party for football. It’s a new competition and the chance to play teams we don’t usually face in our league, so it can be very good for us. You can prove what we can do.”

Meanwhile, Al Ahly forward Wessam Abou Ali expressed disappointment in the result, saying, “We could have taken all three points. We respect Inter Miami and their big-name players, but we could’ve finished the game in the first half by scoring three or four goals.”