Al Ahly Hold Messi’s Inter Miami to Stalemate in Dramatic Club World Cup Clash

El Shenawy Steals the Show as Al Ahly Frustrate Messi-Led Miami

If you tuned in hoping to see Lionel Messi stamp his mark all over the Club World Cup, Mohamed El Shenawy had other ideas. The Al Ahly goalkeeper turned into a one-man wall, especially in the key moments, snatching away what looked like certain goals and silencing Inter Miami’s traveling fans.

Right from the kickoff, Al Ahly showed why they’re one of the giants of African football. They pressed hard and fast, getting Inter Miami into trouble on more than one occasion. The Egyptian side almost struck first when Wessam Abou Ali poked the ball home, but VAR quickly spoiled the celebrations with a razor-thin offside call. Then came another heartbeat moment before halftime: when Trezeguet stepped up to the penalty spot, Miami’s own Oscar Ustari guessed right, diving low to deny a lead that Al Ahly’s early efforts might have deserved.

Messi’s Quiet Night – and the Drama That Followed

You could feel the energy shift after the break. Maybe Inter Miami were finally over their nerves, or maybe Messi decided enough was enough. Whatever the reason, Miami suddenly looked far more dangerous, especially down the flanks. They started pinning Al Ahly back, with Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets linking up in familiar fashion to feed Messi and Luis Suárez.

But El Shenawy kept reading the script and flipping it upside down. The biggest gasp of the night came deep in stoppage time, when Messi, cutting in from the right, whipped a curling shot toward the top corner. El Shenawy stretched every muscle and got enough of a touch to tip it onto the bar. That could have been game over for the Cairo club, but instead, it was just the latest entry in a highlight reel El Shenawy seems determined to fill this season.

Just before the final whistle, Maximiliano Falcon almost snatched all three points for Miami, but again, El Shenawy was equal to the task. Both teams had moments when the breakthrough seemed only seconds away, but either wasteful finishing or inspired defending kept the deadlock intact.

It wasn’t all good news for Al Ahly though. Midfielder Emam Ashour had to leave the field with an injury inside the opening 15 minutes, forcing coach Ricardo Riveiro to shuffle his lineup earlier than planned. Even so, the Egyptians stayed organized, rarely letting Miami’s high-priced stars find their usual rhythm.

Here’s how the group looks now: Al Ahly and Inter Miami each have a point, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with much-fancied Palmeiras and a seasoned Porto, both of whom are waiting in the wings for their own Club World Cup openers. Next up, Al Ahly face a real test against the Brazilian side in New Jersey, while Messi and Miami head to Atlanta with Porto in their sights. Plenty to play for, and based on this opener, plenty of drama still to come.