Al Ahly Frustrates Messi’s Inter Miami in CWC Opener with 0-0 Draw
In a tense opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup, Inter Miami FC faced off against Al Ahly FC, resulting in a 0-0 draw that left Lionel Messi and his teammates frustrated. The match took place on Saturday night in Miami Gardens, Florida, where both teams earned a point in Group A, which also includes FC Porto and Palmeiras.
Al Ahly’s goalkeeper, Mohamed El Shenawy, was instrumental in securing the draw, especially with a crucial save late in stoppage time. He tipped away a high shot from Messi that looked destined for the back of the net, preserving his team’s clean sheet amidst a flurry of Miami corner kicks in the final moments.
The first half saw Al Ahly assert their dominance, creating several scoring opportunities. Their best chance came in the 43rd minute when Trezeguet was awarded a penalty. However, Inter Miami’s goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari, made a stunning save, diving to his left to deny the rising shot.
As the second half progressed, Inter Miami began to find their rhythm. Messi nearly broke the deadlock in the 64th minute with a curling free kick that whisked just wide of the near post, sending a wave of disappointment through the crowd.
The excitement surged again in the 85th minute when Messi set up Fafa Picault for a header, but the attempt sailed over the crossbar. In a thrilling finish, Messi had one last chance in the sixth minute of stoppage time, only for El Shenawy to deflect his shot off the crossbar, keeping the scoreline level.
Inter Miami will next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al Ahly prepares to take on Palmeiras in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
