The FIFA Club World Cup commenced with a tactical deadlock as Jose Riveiro's Al Ahly battled Lionel Messi's Inter Miami to a goalless draw at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Inter Miami featured their formidable attacking duo of Messi and Luis Suarez, though they were without left-back Jordi Alba. Al Ahly, showcasing their new acquisitions, handed starts to both Trezeguet and Achraf Dari.
Al Ahly started the brighter, with Trezeguet quickly making inroads down the left. He set up Emam Ashour, whose promising strike was well-saved by Inter Miami's goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.
However, a significant setback for Al Ahly occurred just 13 minutes in when Ashour was forced off with an apparent shoulder injury, replaced by Zizo, another new face.
Despite their star power, Inter Miami struggled to carve out clear opportunities in the first half. Conversely, Al Ahly believed they had broken the deadlock around the 30-minute mark through Abou Ali's neat finish, only for the offside flag to cut short their celebrations.
AL AHLY STAR TREZEGUET MISSED PENALTY
Their best chance of the half came in the 41st minute when they were awarded a penalty for Telasco Segovia's foul on Zizo. Unfortunately for Al Ahly, Trezeguet's subsequent effort from the spot was expertly saved by Ustari, keeping the score at 0-0.
The second half witnessed a noticeable shift in momentum, with Inter Miami becoming far more threatening.
Al Ahly's stalwart goalkeeper, Mohamed El Shenawy, was pivotal, notably keeping out Lionel Messi's powerful strike from distance as the Argentine began to weave his magic more effectively.
Messi nearly found the opener himself just after the hour mark with a curling free-kick that kissed the side-netting, leading to a brief moment of confusion and celebration in the stands.
As the clock wound down, El Shenawy proved to be the ultimate hero for Al Ahly, making a crucial save from Fafà Picault's header and, in dramatic stoppage time, tipping another dangerous Messi shot onto the crossbar to clinch a hard-earned point for his side.
