The 2025 Club World Cup got underway with an entertaining 0-0 draw between Al Ahly and Inter Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.
Oscar Ustari was the hero for the Herons, who could have won it late on, but Lionel Messi was denied by a stunning save deep in stoppage time.
The goalkeeper made himself big to smother Emam Ashour’s shot at the end of a quick counter-attack eight minutes in. He then kept out Wessam Abou Ali’s whipped free-kick, before reflexively pushing away Achraf Dari’s header from the resulting corner.
Ustari continued to impress, springing to his right to deny Trezeguet’s stuttered effort from the penalty spot after Zizo had been fouled.
Luis Suarez then saw an effort cleared off the line in first-half stoppage time as Miami improved, while, after the break, Tadeo Allende and Fafa Picault were both denied by stunning saves from Mohamed El Shenawy, who matched his counterpart’s performance.
It looked like Messi, who had curled a free-kick into the side netting earlier in the second half, had won it in the 95th minute, but his curling effort from the right was brilliantly turned onto the crossbar by El Shenawy to ensure a share of the points.
Al Ahly and Miami are first and second, respectively, in Group A, with Palmeiras and Porto playing on Sunday.
It ends all square in the #FIFACWC opener
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 15, 2025
Data Debrief: Goalkeepers take the headlines
There were no goals to shout about in the first game of FIFA’s revamped tournament, but there was plenty of goalmouth action in an intense stalemate.
Miami had 14 shots to Al Ahly’s 11, with the Egyptian side managing eight efforts on target to the Heron’s six.
While El Shenawy made some important interventions, including that key save to deny Messi a goal, Ustari was the standout, making eight saves as Al Ahly had created 1.98 expected goals (xG).
This 0-0 draw was just the third scoreless draw Messi’s club teams have played out in his last 108 starts, dating back to February 2022.
