Veteran Goalkeeper Duo's Impressive Performance Draws Inter Miami Against Al-Ahly

MIAMI, SUNDAY — The opening match of the Club World Cup, on Sunday (15/6/2025) morning WIB, at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, United States, ended in a dull score of 0-0. Despite the lack of goals, the performances of the goalkeepers from Inter Miami and Al-Ahly elicited admiration from every eye watching due to their remarkable saves.

Miami goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari, is a key figure for his team in avoiding embarrassment, especially in the first half. Ustari recorded eight saves during the 90 minutes. One of his best saves was deflecting the penalty kick from Al-Ahly winger, Mahmoud Trezeguet, in the 43rd minute.

During the first half, Ustari was the busiest player for Miami. He repeatedly anticipated six shots directed at the goal from Al-Ahly players, five of which were made inside Miami's penalty area.

After the break, Ustari was more relaxed. Only two saves were made because Miami had appeared more dominant in attacking.

The 38-year-old goalkeeper rejected the notion of being considered the sole hero for Miami's first points in the Club World Cup. According to him, his performance was part of the team's collective effort to secure points in the opening game of Group A of the 2025 Club World Cup.

"This is more about the team than being a hero. In a penalty situation, there are people who help me (coaching staff) so I represent them on the field. My performance is the result of everyone's hard work," Ustari told FIFA TV.

In the second half, it became a stage for the veteran goalkeeper and captain of Al-Ahly, Mohamed El-Shenawy, to prove himself. In the first half of the match, El-Shenawy, who is also the goalkeeper for the Egyptian national team, showcased his skills in goal by thwarting two corner kicks from Lionel Messi in the last five minutes before halftime.

El-Shenawy displayed a significantly more crucial performance in the second half. The 36-year-old goalkeeper made five saves. Twice, he anticipated Messi's shots and major opportunities. Then, he managed to deflect Messi's curling shot with the tips of his fingers, causing the ball to hit the crossbar.

Al-Ahly coach Jose Riveiro, who has only been in charge of the team for a week, expressed disappointment that his team failed to secure full points due to their inability to capitalize on at least five significant opportunities in the first half. Riveiro also appreciated his team's hard work in managing to contain the relentless attacks from the home team in the second half.

"There are many positive things we have done, but there are still several aspects that we must improve in order to perform better in the next film," said Riveiro.

On the other hand, Riveiro was surprised by the overwhelming support received by his team at Hard Rock Stadium. The distinctive red jerseys of Al-Ahly were visible in every corner of the stands, and banners of support were also displayed by fans in the upper section of the stadium.

"We feel like we are playing in Cairo. We are very happy to be here and represent the club in this competition," said Riveiro, who previously coached the South African team, Orlando Pirates.

Miami and Al-Ahly faced challenges that are commonly encountered in the first game of a major tournament, namely inconsistency and nervousness. Al-Ahly experienced inconsistency due to their failure to manage energy. This situation caused the team nicknamed the "Red Giants" to be unable to replicate the quick transition pattern that had been their strategy to threaten Miami's goal in the first 45 minutes of the match.

Only two shots from outside the penalty box indicate a decline in the attacking performance of the Egyptian team. The substitutions of Trezeguet and Abou Ali, two key forwards, further complicated Al-Ahly's efforts to deliver the ball into the final third of Miami's defense.

Meanwhile, the Miami players struggled to match the performance of their three best players, namely Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets, at the beginning of the match. Individual mistakes were frequently made. Two yellow cards and a penalty marked the overwhelming difficulties faced by Miami's defense against Al-Ahly's counterattack tactics.

Nervousness enveloped the outfield player of Sir David Beckham's club. Beckham, who watched the match in the honorary grandstand, also showed a tense expression when his face was highlighted by television cameras.

"Al-Ahly was hindered by a significant drop in energy in the second half. Meanwhile, Inter Miami was able to execute their game plan effectively. It was a balanced match," said Sami Khedira, the match analyst on DAZN.

Miami coach Javier Mascherano expressed disappointment at failing to secure a victory. "We had many opportunities, but none resulted in a goal. We will conduct an evaluation so that in the second game we can achieve a positive result," said Mascherano as quoted by the FIFA website.

Next, Miami will face Porto on Friday (20/6/2025) at 02:00 WIB, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Al-Ahly, the holder of 107 domestic titles in Egypt, will challenge the Brazilian team, Palmeiras, on Thursday (19/6/2025) at 23:00 WIB, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.