Club World Cup Player Ratings and Match Highlights

Inter Miami and Al-Ahly kicked off the FIFA Club World Cup with their opening match at a packed Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, the 14th of June.

Despite the stalemate, there was late drama at the end of the first half when Telasco Segovia brought down substitute Zizo inside the box, to concede a penalty which looked soft upon replay of the incident. Regardless, the spot kick was awarded to the 2024 winners of the CAF Champions League. Trezeguet tried to dupe in-form goalkeeper Oscar Ustari with his run-up, aimed left, but was foiled by the Argentine shot-stopper who made an expert save to thwart the Egyptian forward.

Lionel Messi was an occasional threat in the game, as Al-Ahly mostly stifled his ability to influence the game from the left-forward position, yet he could have assisted a late goal had Mohamed El Shenawi failed to save Fafa Picault’s header.

In the end, the two teams were inseparable and had to settle for a share of the spoils in the opening FIFA World Club Cup soccer game, largely thanks to Ustari’s heroics for Miami on his goal-line, as well as El Shenawy’s for Al-Ahly at the other end. On reflection, considering Al-Ahly’s prowess in the opening half, and how direct Miami was in the second, it truly was a game of two halves — with a draw a suitable reflection of the action.

Match highlights

Inter Miami player ratings

Oscar Ustari — 10

Ian Fray — 7.5

Tomas Aviles — 6.5

Maximiliano Falcon — 7.5

Noah Allen — 6.5

Tadeo Allende — 6

Federico Redondo – 6.5

Sergio Busquets — 6

Telasco Segovia — 7

Lionel Messi — 8

Quiet in the first half but came alive in the second, despite Al-Ahly’s attempts to suffocate his influence on the game. A threat from the left, particularly when cutting inside, like he did late in the second half to loft a cross to Fafa Picault. Two of his five shots were on target, and he came close to scoring the winner at the very end.

Luis Suarez — 7

Sub (46′) — Marcelo Weigandt — 6

Sub (72′) — Benjamin Cremaschi — 6.5

Sub (45′) — Fafa Picault — 7

Al-Ahly player ratings

Mohamed El Shenaw — 9

Mohamed Hany — 6

Yasser Ibrahim — 6

Achraf Dari — 6

Ahmed Koka — 7.5

Hamdi Fathy — 6

Marwan Attia — 7.5

Mohamed Ben Romd — 7

Emam Ashour — 6

Trezeguet — 6.5

Wessam Abou Ali — 8

Sub (13′) — Zizo — 8.5

Sub (64′) — Taher Mohamed — 6.5

Sub (64′) — Hussein El Shahat — 6.5

Sub (79′) — Mohamed Afsha— 6

Sub (79′) — Nejc Gradisar — 6