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A nice embrace between two smiling goalkeepers after this one, both obviously impressed with each other\u2019s performances.<\/p>\n
You might see better 0-0 games, but you\u2019ll also certainly see worse. It\u2019s a mildly disappointing but hardly embarrassing result for the MLS side against a team that will not be an easy out for anyone in this tournament. Porto and Palmeiras will need to take the Egyptians quite seriously.<\/p>\n
Thanks for following along with us tonight or whatever time it is where you are at the moment. And congratulations to Al Ahly<\/a> fans, who appeared to be enjoying themselves in the Hard Rock after showing up in strong numbers.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Full time: Al Ahly 0-0 Inter Miami<\/p>\n The referee allows Al Ahly<\/a> to extend the clock with a counter after an underinspired Miami corner, but Inter scramble back to defend, and that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n Replay shows El Shenawy saved the Falcon shot with his head. Ouch.<\/p>\n So after being lucky to survive the first half without conceding, thanks to a penalty save and an otherworldly save from Ustari, Inter may count themselves unlucky not to take the three points in the second half. Messi hit the outside of the net with a cheeky free kick. El Shenawy punched a Messi shot off the crossbar and then was fortunate to have his head in the way for another save.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +8: <\/strong>Stoppage-time stoppage time continues with Suarez taking a corner. And it\u2019s not a bad effort from Falcon, and that is deflected for another corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +6: <\/strong>OK, NOW a last attack for Inter, by which we mean Messi almost scored a winner after getting the ball played back to him off a short corner.<\/p>\n Tipped off the bar by El Shenawy!<\/strong><\/p>\n And El Shenawy is down again. Yeah, those of us in our 50s know how that feels.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +5: <\/strong>A last attack from Inter. Fafa Picault floats a cross too high, though Suarez nearly gets to it.<\/p>\n Suarez just picked up a yellow card for shouting something at the ref while an Al Ahly<\/a> player is down milking the clock.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +4: <\/strong>Nothing\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n Ustari has been named the Beer Brand Goes Here Player of the Match, which is a fine choice. Ustari, that is. I have no opinion of the beer. <\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min +3: <\/strong>Nothing\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.03 EDT<\/p>\n 90 min +2: <\/strong>Messi pirouettes at midfield, lays the ball off, and Attia makes a rash challenge to pick up a yellow card.<\/p>\n The free kick sees Messi racing ahead to tap the ball up into the air but over Fafa this time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min: <\/strong>The referee has indicated there will be five minutes of stoppage time. Seems about right.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 89 min: <\/strong>Suddenly, Al Ahly<\/a> break forward, four-on-four. Inter are relieved that it only leads to a corner.<\/p>\n Miami defend well again, but Al Ahly hold possession.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 86 min: <\/strong>Yellow card to Busquets, who responded badly when being told to knock off the shenanigans while awaiting a corner kick to be delivered.<\/p>\n (I initially said Suarez because Fifa identified him as such, even though it certainly looked like \u2013 and was \u2013 Busquets.)<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.56 EDT<\/p>\n 85 min: WHAT A SAVE BY EL SHENAWY! <\/strong>Messi gets to the end line and floats the ball up for the sub Fafa Picault, who heads it down and forces the Al Ahly<\/a> keeper to spring up to keep it from sailing up into the net.<\/p>\n El Shenawy is down, possibly cramped. Or he\u2019s my age, and every time I move like that, I hurt something.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 83 min: <\/strong>Al Ahly commit a couple of fouls, and the second yields a free kick from the left flank. Not a shooting angle, so Messi plays into the area, and it\u2019s headed out for a corner. Repeat.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 82 min: <\/strong>Jordan Milnes writes: \u201cI\u2019m sure there will be better games ahead but, let\u2019s be honest, this match has been terrible.\u201d<\/p>\n At times, yes. But Al Ahly<\/a> were superb in the first half, and Ustari did quite well to deny them. Inter have been better this half but haven\u2019t quite looked as dangerous, though Messi nearly snuck a free kick into the lower corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 81 min: <\/strong>Al Ahly are pressing while Inter pass the ball around at the back.<\/p>\n Fafa Picault replaces Allende for Inter.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 78 min: <\/strong>The corner kick flies over everyone like a tee shot over a lake.<\/p>\n Al Ahly is bringing on some attackers. Kafsha replaces Zizo, who gets the rare \u201csub in, sub out\u201d stat line after coming in early. The Slovenian Gradisar replaces Abou Ali.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 77 min: <\/strong>A spell of possession for Al Ahly<\/a>, with a cross headed clear but right back to the Al Ahly midfield.<\/p>\n El Shahat walks the tightrope along the end line and keeps the ball in play until it\u2019s booted away for a corner kick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 74 min: <\/strong>A roar from the crowd as Al Ahly<\/a> line up the kick from 40 yards out, but it\u2019s well cleared. Inter play ahead to the sub Cremaschi on the left.<\/p>\n And NOW Suarez gets a good shot that\u2019s blocked wide while Messi is down after a challenge \u2013 the referee might have been playing advantage.<\/p>\n Replay shows \u2013 yeah, that was definitely a foul. Messi caught a boot to the midsection. He\u2019ll take the inswinging corner.<\/p>\n Redondo gets into space in the middle of the penalty area and wins a header cleanly but sends it just wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 73 min: <\/strong>I keep forgetting Luis Suarez is in this game. He simply hasn\u2019t seen the ball. But he\u2019s pressing defenders late in the game, so give him some credit for that.<\/p>\n Abou Ali draws a foul from Weigandt.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 70 min: <\/strong>Superb buildup from Inter, but Al Ahly\u2019s Koka breaks things up just as the ball is worked into the box.<\/p>\n Koka gets the worst of the collision and spends some time lying on the grass while Mascherano gives a quick pep talk to young American Benjamin Cremaschi, who is set to come in. He\u2019ll replace Segovia.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 68 min: <\/strong>It\u2019s an Al Ahly<\/a> free kick from considerable distance, and they opt to control the ball rather than blast it forward.<\/p>\n Weigandt eludes a challenge to bring the ball forward for Inter. That was a nice substitution by Mascherano.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 66 min: <\/strong>Joe Pearson offers wi-fi connection advice. Are tariffs involved?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65 min: Substitutions <\/strong>for Al-Ahly, and Trezeguet leaves the game. His impact dropped after a superb 30 minutes, but this says \u201cOK, we\u2019ll take a draw\u201d to me. Ben Romdhane also leaves. Tater Mohamed and Hussein El Shahat come in.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s the latter taking a quick shot. It\u2019s not the easiest of saves, but with Ustari\u2019s form tonight, that\u2019s not going in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 63 min: <\/strong>OK, call it 25. The crowd, which was sleepy at the beginning of this half, is chanting \u201cMESSI!\u201d He goes for a low shot along the ground, curls it around the wall and finds the net!<\/p>\n The outside of the net.<\/p>\n Oh my, that was close.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 62 min: <\/strong>It\u2019s a typical Miami evening, which means a lot of players have to be exhausted from the heat and humidity at this point. Subs will be crucial.<\/p>\n Messi draws a free kick about 22 yards out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 61 min: <\/strong>As Messi lines up a corner kick, an Al Ahly<\/a> fan (and there are a lot of them here, despite the various concerns over security presences that could make foreign fans uncomfortable) waves a Barcelona flag. Conflicted.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 60 min: <\/strong>Weigandt sneaks forward from the backline and should\u2019ve done better with his shot from 12 yards out. It streaks over the bar.<\/p>\n Still 0-0, but Inter have been much better this half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 59 min: <\/strong>During my brief 90 seconds with no wi-fi, Ustari made another superb save on a long-range, possibly deflected shot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 55 min: <\/strong>Al Ahly taking their time now. The center backs still look vulnerable to a through ball, but the Egyptian side aren\u2019t trying it for now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 53 min: <\/strong>El Shenawy runs well out of his box toward the sideline to clear the ball out and has to sprint back before Inter take the throw-in and attack.<\/p>\n As brightly as Inter finished the first half, they\u2019ve been even better in the second.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 51 min: <\/strong>It\u2019s a harmless outswinging corner from Messi, but Inter regain control, the Al Ahly<\/a> defense fumble a clearance attempt, and \u2026<\/p>\n BIG SAVE BY EL SHENAWY <\/strong>on Allende. Point-blank range near the top of the 6-yard box, and the keeper was just enough of a presence to block the quick shot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 50 min: <\/strong>Ustari plays the ball long down the right flank, and Miami get possession. They switch flanks and earn a corner kick. <\/strong><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 48 min: <\/strong>Now Al Ahly<\/a> connect a lot of passes in their own half. How long until they go over the top again and test the reconstituted Inter \u2026<\/p>\n Oh, now. They play to Trezeguet, but he\u2019s not given much space and sends a harmless shot wide.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 46 min: <\/strong>Inter connect a lot of passes within 10 yards of the midfield stripe.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Second half is about to start, and Inter make a smart move \u2013 Tomas Aviles, who was very lucky to finish the first half without seeing red (and not just Al Ahly\u2019s shirts), will depart. Marcelo Weigandt comes in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Kieran McKintosh writes: \u201cHuh. After that first half, perhaps Messi won\u2019t want to go up against a team from the EPL. Never thought I\u2019d be typing that sentence. I imagine Man City, even in their questionable last season, would absolutely steamroller this lot-especially with pocket rocket Cherki now in their ranks.\u201d<\/p>\n Well, yeah. I don\u2019t think many people around MLS are under any illusions that the league\u2019s clubs could avoid relegation if dropped into England\u2019s Premier League.<\/p>\n It\u2019s tempting to say they might not avoid relegation in Egypt\u2019s Premier League, but it\u2019s worth remembering how strong this Al Ahly<\/a> side are.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Halftime: Al Ahly 0-0 Inter Miami<\/p>\n Penalty saves can sometimes change the momentum of the game, and Inter desperately needed something. The last five minutes of the half were much better for the MLS side than the preceding 43.<\/p>\n It was the striker, incidentally, Abou Ali who acrobatically hit an overhead kick to keep the ball from Allende.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min +2: <\/strong>An olimpico attempt for Messi? Punched clear, but barely. Messi draws about five defenders and gets it to the other side of the area. It\u2019s lofted into the air and lands just away from Allende, who has raced within three yards of the goal while the keeper has gone missing. Big defensive challenge to keep Allende from scoring against the run of play.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min +1: <\/strong>Hey, it\u2019s another Messi sighting! He turns and unleashes a shot that deflected for a corner. Now Inter\u2019s xG might be 0.2 or so.<\/p>\n The corner isn\u2019t cleared well, and it\u2019s played back in for \u2026 another corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min: <\/strong>As a reminder, the score is 0-0.<\/p>\n The xG, on the other hand, has to be something like 2-0.01 in Al Ahly\u2019s favor.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>SAVE BY USTARI!<\/p>\n This is a goalkeeping performance for the ages from Inter\u2019s Argentine keeper. He holds his ground as Trezeguet pauses his run-up, then moves right to punch Trezeguet\u2019s shot back to him. Then he returns to his feet to keep Trezeguet from slotting in the rebound.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Penalty to Al Ahly<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n It was a weak pass from Redondo that was picked off, and Segovia trips Zizo in the penalty area.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 39 min: <\/strong>Now it\u2019s El Shenawy\u2019s turn to show his goalkeeping prowess, as he punches clear from Messi\u2019s free kick into traffic.<\/p>\n Al Ahly go the other way, and Tomas Aviles hacks down Trezeguet. Aviles is already on a yellow. This should be a second, but our referee is forgiving. For now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 38 min: <\/strong>Center holds it \u2026 holds it \u2026<\/p>\n Busquets plays long to Fray, who is not running. Busquets raises a hand in apology.<\/p>\n Ball to Messi, and he\u2019s clipped from behind by Attia. Messi wants a yellow card, and he has a case.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 35 min: <\/strong>Ustari races out of the penalty area to clear a long ball, but the bigger concern here is that an Al Ahly<\/a> player\u2019s follow-through landed hard into the inside of Messi\u2019s leg before that ball was played.<\/p>\n He\u2019ll stay in the game, though.<\/p>\n It\u2019s nearly 30 degrees Celsius, and the humidity is in the 60s. Little wonder Al-Ahly\u2019s players\u2019 shirts are clinging to their bodies, drenched in sweat.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 34 min: <\/strong>Inter play over the top to Allende, who promptly loses it.<\/p>\n The best player for Inter in this half, but a considerable margin, is the goalkeeper Ustari.<\/p>\n We get a replay of the header off the corner kick. How did Ustari keep that out?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 33 min: WHAT A SAVE <\/strong>by Ustari at point-blank range as Inter again fail to defend properly off a set piece, this time a corner kick. Dari was the player who got onto the ball and directed it on frame with considerable venom.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 31 min: <\/strong>Another yellow card, as Redondo slides in from behind and clips an attacker. Abou Ali lines up the free kick from 25 \u2026<\/p>\n \u2026 and Ustari has to tip it over the bar!<\/p>\n Good thing for Inter that it was straight down the middle. One foot either way, and that\u2019s a goal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOOOOOAL if it stands<\/p>\n Oh no \u2026 this might. Abou Ali was behind Falcon, but did another player keep him on?<\/p>\n Apparently not, because we\u2019re already playing again.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.39 EDT<\/p>\n 29 min: <\/strong>Inter with a sustained possession, and while the time of possession stat lies more than most statistics, it\u2019s better than chasing after Al Ahly<\/a> players racing toward goal.<\/p>\n