Ahly bid Club World Cup farewell despite thrilling draw with Porto

Al-Ahram Weekly

6 days ago

Palestinian striker Wessam Abou Ali stole the spotlight, scoring a sensational hat-trick, while Tunisian midfielder Mohamed Ben Romdhane added a stunning fourth for the Red Devils. Porto's equalizers came from Rodrigo Mora, William Gomes, Samu, and veteran defender Pepe, ensuring a rollercoaster encounter.
Ahly entered the match with a desperate need for victory, hoping for a favorable result in the other Group A clash between MLS side Inter Miami and Brazil's Palmeiras, which was taking place simultaneously.
The Cairo-based side started brightly, controlling possession and dictating the tempo as they sought to create scoring opportunities from both flanks. However, Porto's defense managed to thwart their initial attempts.
Abou Ali broke the deadlock fifteen minutes into the first half, capitalizing on a well-placed pass from Hamdy Fathy during a fast break, firing a low shot into the bottom left corner.
However, Porto quickly responded, with 18-year-old forward Rodrigo Mora equalizing eight minutes later after a brilliant solo run into the box.
Undeterred, Ahly pushed forward again, and Abou Ali converted a penalty kick in added time after Ahmed El Sayed "Zizo" was fouled in the area, restoring Ahly's lead.
A thrilling half
It was probably one of the most entertaining 45 minutes of the tournament. After the break, Porto coach Martin Anselmi made tactical changes, introducing Goncalo Borges and Samu for Alan Varela and Danny Namaso. Five minutes into the second half, Porto equalized through William Gomes, who unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box that left goalkeeper El-Shennawy with no chance.
Just a minute later, Abou Ali completed his hat-trick with a well-placed header following a cross from right-back Mohamed Hany. The excitement continued as Samu leveled the score again for Porto with a header from a corner just two minutes later.
With just under half an hour remaining, Ahly coach Jose Riveiro made crucial substitutions, bringing in Nejc Gradisar, Achraf Bencharki, and Omar Kamal for the injured Abou Ali, Trezeguet, and Hussein El-Shahat. This proved effective, as Bencharki set up midfielder Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, who scored with a precise shot into the top right corner.
Ahly could have killed the game but Bencharki, Gradisar and Zizo squandered precious chances that could have sealed a historic victory for the Cairo giants.
They were punished for their lack of efficiency as Pepe scored the equalizer just a minute before the final whistle.
With this result, both Ahly and Porto bid farewell to the tournament, as Inter Miami held Palmeiras to a 2-2 draw in the other group match, to advance to the knock out stage.
Find more details on group standings, match schedules, and competition statistics
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