Messi fires blank as Al Ahly frustrate Inter Miami in World Club Cup opener

Femi Fabunmi

MLS side, Inter Miami were held to a 0-0 draw by Egypt’s Al Ahly in their opening Group A match of the FIFA Club World Cup, played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on June 14, 2025.

Messi had a quiet first half, along with the rest of his team. Al Ahly dominated early on and created many chances, but Inter Miami’s goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari, made several important saves to keep the score level.

The biggest chance of the first half came when Al Ahly’s Trezeguet took a penalty in the 43rd minute after his teammate Zizo was fouled. However, Ustari guessed the direction correctly and stopped the shot.

However, In the second half of the encounter, Inter Miami improved greatly.

Messi was more active, hitting the side netting with a free kick and later striking the crossbar with a powerful shot.

Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy also made a great save late in the game, stopping Messi’s curling shot and tipping it onto the bar.

Inter manager,  Javier Mascherano said after the match, “We were much better in the second half. We had chances to win. But our goalkeeper kept us alive in the first half.”

Al Ahly’s manager, Jose Riviera, was proud of his team’s performance and the large support from Egyptian fans in the stadium. “It felt like we were playing in Cairo. I was surprised by the support. We had chances but couldn’t take them. We’ll try to improve,” he said.

In the next matches, Inter Miami will play against Porto, while Al Ahly will face Palmeiras. These games are set for Thursday.

This is the first time that the tournament will be played among 32 teams drawn from different continent and leagues of the world.

The FIFA World Club Cup currently holding in the United States is serving as preparatory for the next FIFA World Cup to be hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico.