Club World Cup: Messi denied late winner as Inter Miami draw 0–0 with Al Ahly

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were held to a 0-0 draw by Egypt’s Al Ahly on Saturday, as FIFA’s new 32-team tournament kicked off smoothly in front of 60,927 spectators at Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium.

Messi nearly delivered a dramatic winner in stoppage time, but his trademark curling effort from 20 yards was expertly tipped onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy as Miami intensified their attack in the closing moments.

Al Ahly, backed by a passionate crowd of over 10,000 supporters, missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the first half when Egypt international Trezeguet’s penalty was saved by Miami’s Argentine shot-stopper Oscar Ustari.

El Shenawy later came to Al Ahly’s rescue again with a clutch save in the dying seconds, denying a powerful header from Maxi Falcon as the Group A clash ended scoreless.

For FIFA, which has faced widespread skepticism over the tournament’s necessity, the lack of goals was the only letdown on an otherwise successful opening night. FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s vision of a festive and energetic launch seemed to materialize, as fans packed nearly all 64,000 seats by kick-off.

Supporters of Al Ahly—the 12-time African Champions League winners and Egypt’s 45-time domestic champions—arrived early and filled the stadium with vibrant chants and songs, creating a home-like atmosphere.

The Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and site of last year’s chaotic Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia, was well-organized this time. Security and ticketing systems operated smoothly, with no reported issues.

Despite the lack of goals, the match was far from dull. Al Ahly dominated early on, slicing through Miami’s defense with ease. Emam Ashour forced a save from Ustari after a well-placed pass from Trezeguet, and Wessam Abou Ali had a goal disallowed for offside before testing Ustari again with a fierce strike.

The penalty drama came when Telasco Segovia fouled Zizo inside the box, but Trezeguet’s weak spot-kick was easily saved, and he couldn’t capitalize on the rebound.

Inter Miami improved after the break. Messi nearly broke the deadlock in the 64th minute with a free-kick that skimmed the post and rippled the side netting, fooling some fans into believing it had gone in.

His best chance came in added time from a cleverly worked short corner, but El Shenawy’s acrobatic save kept the score level.

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Miami now turns its focus to upcoming matches—facing Portugal’s Porto in Atlanta on Thursday and Brazil’s Palmeiras at home next Monday. Despite the draw, head coach Javier Mascherano was optimistic.

“In the second half, we played without fear and showed our quality. If we carry that mentality forward, we can match any team,” he said.

Al Ahly coach Jose Riveiro, managing his first official game for the club, expressed frustration over missed first-half chances but was deeply moved by the fan support.

“We had enough chances to change the game in the first half,” he said. “But the atmosphere was incredible—it felt like we were playing in Cairo. That’s something unique about this club.”