FIFACWC: Al Ahly’s Wessam Abou Ali gutted with Inter Miami opening draw

Wessam Abou Ali - Photo Credit - Al Ahly.

Al Ahly forward Wessam Abou Ali has admitted to being disappointed following their opening Group A 2025 FIFA Club World Cup 0-0 draw against Inter Miami at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday.

The Egyptian Premier League champions looked the better side in the first half of the battle, putting Inter Miami under waves of pressure but they were saved by custodian Oscar Ustari, who made five saves to keep them level at half-time.

Though, the North Africans needed the steady hands of custodian Mohamed El Shenawy to escape an equally lively second half, Egypt should have taken the lead in the 43rd minute, but Ustaric produced a superb save to deny forward Trezeguet from the penalty spot.

“I’m disappointed with the result. We could have taken all three points. We respect Inter Miami and their big-name players, but we could have finished the game in the first half by scoring three or four goals. The crowd was incredible, 80% were our fans, which is amazing,” Wessam Abou Ali, the Danish-Palestinian professional footballer, told FIFA.com.

Meanwhile, discussing his heroic saves, Inter Miami keeper Ustari explained how he managed to save the penalty from Trezeguet: “This is more about the team than about being a hero. You always have confidence in yourself. In the penalty situation, there are people behind me who are always helping us. I represent them on the pitch, but the work they do with us off the field is crucial for moments like this to happen.”

Both teams play their next Group A matches on June 19. Inter Miami will face FC Porto at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, while Al Ahly will meet Palmeiras at MetLife Stadium outside New York City.