Messi, on the ground, surrounded by players during the game
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicked off with an intense goalless draw between Inter Miami and Egyptian giants Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, June 15, 2025.
A result that sees Al Ahly record just their third draw in 28 Club World Cup matches (W11, L14).
While many of the Miami crowd came to witness a Lionel Messi masterclass, it was goalkeeper Óscar Ustari who stole the show in the first half.
The Inter Miami shot-stopper delivered a commanding performance, denying Wessam Abou Ali early on with a sharp save before producing two more impressive stops from Emam Ashour and Achraf Dari.
Ustari’s most heroic moment came just before halftime when he saved a penalty from Trézéguet and blocked the rebound spectacularly, keeping Inter Miami alive after a sustained spell of pressure from Al Ahly.
Javier Mascherano’s men struggled to deal with Al Ahly’s direct counterattacks and looked vulnerable at the back throughout the first half.
Despite the Egyptians’ dominance, they nearly went behind moments before the interval, but Ali was on hand with a crucial goalline clearance to deny what would’ve been a sucker-punch goal against the run of play.
After the break, Miami looked more purposeful. Mascherano’s halftime talk seemed to inspire urgency, with Tadeo Allende coming close from close range, only to be thwarted by Mohamed El Shenawy’s brave save.
The match, played in sweltering Miami heat, began to lose pace in the final 20 minutes, but there were still flashes of brilliance.
The highlight came late on when Messi finally came to life with a trademark curling effort that was heading for the top corner, only to be acrobatically pushed onto the crossbar by El Shenawy.
The ensuing corner created panic in Al Ahly’s box, but the Egyptians held firm to secure a valuable point.
FKA/GA
Meanwhile, watch the latest edition of Sports Check with former Hearts of Oak midfielder Frederick Ansah Botchway
