Saving grace: Keepers star in 0-0 draw

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were held to a 0-0 draw by Egyptian side Al Ahly on Saturday, as FIFA's new 32-team tournament got off to a smooth start in front of 60,927 fans in Florida.

Messi was denied a storybook stoppage-time winner when he saw his curling shot from 20 yards out tipped on to the bar by Mohamed El Shenawy, as Miami piled on the pressure in the final minutes of the Club World Cup game.

Al Ahly, which was cheered on by over 10,000 of its supporters, was left to rue a first-half penalty miss from Egypt international Trezeguet, after his shot was saved by Miami's Argentine keeper Oscar Ustari.

"I don't like to talk about myself. The team did a great job defensively, and that is what I most care about," said Ustari.

"I remember being retired and knew that my return would come on a field, so I'm very happy about it (being back).

"I thought we were superior, that's what I think. The game left me with good feelings, but our next rival is very different."

The Egyptians had El Shenawy to thank for another fine save in the dying seconds to keep out a header from Maximiliano Falcon, as Miami pushed for three points in the Group A clash.

For organizer FIFA, which has faced heavy skepticism over the necessity for the tournament, the absence of a goal was the only disappointment on an opening night that delivered everything else that its president Gianni Infantino had hoped for.

Fears of low attendance for the opener eased as the seats in the 64,000 venue began to fill up, with the stadium almost full at kick-off.

Thousands of fans of Al Ahly, record 12-time African Champions League winner and 45-time league champion of Egypt, arrived at Hard Rock Stadium well ahead of kick-off, making their presence felt with singing and chanting.

The stadium, home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins, witnessed chaotic scenes last year at the final of the Copa America between Argentina and Colombia, when fans broke into the ground after long delays to enter.

Spot of drama

This time, though, there was an efficient filter system set up for ticket and security checks well away from the stadium perimeter, and there were no signs of any problems.

Nor was there any indication of the controversial crackdown on illegal immigrants from US President Donald Trump's administration having any impact on the game in the heavily Hispanic South Florida community.

While there were no goals to celebrate, the game was far from boring, with Al Ahly enjoying the better of the first half before Miami improved significantly after the break.

Al Ahly opened up Miami's defense with ease in the opening minutes of the game, and Emam Ashour was denied by Ustari after being put through by Trezeguet.

Palestine international striker Wessam Abou Ali had an effort ruled out for offside in the 31st minute, before the Denmark-born forward had another fierce strike tipped over by Ustari.

The penalty came when Telasco Segovia bundled over Al Ahly winger Zizo, but Trezeguet's weak spot kick was parried away with the former Aston Villa forward unable to react fast enough to the rebound.

Miami was stronger after the break, with Messi going close in the 64th minute with a freekick that grazed the post before hitting the side-netting.

He nearly scored again in stoppage time from a well-worked short corner, but the outstretched fingertips of El Shenawy denied him.

"We didn't think their keeper would make so many saves, he was the key player in the game, along with Oscar in the first half, but that shows that goalkeepers can earn you points as well," said Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez.

Miami faces Porto in Atlanta on Thursday, before returning home to face Brazil's Palmeiras on Monday, and, while those should be tougher tests, Miami's Argentine coach Javier Mascherano was upbeat.

"The truth is, we leave with the feeling that we could have won it in the second half," he said.

"Going forward we have to do what we did in the second half, not have any fear, shed whatever baggage we had, because when we play like that, we can play with any team."

Al Ahly's Spanish coach Jose Riveiro, who only took charge of the team for this tournament, said his side should have finished the game off in the first half.

"It's a game of mistakes. We had a decent amount of chances in the first half to put the game in a different space," he said, before praising the team's fans.

"It was like we were playing in Cairo, and that was a surprise for me in my first official match with Al Ahly. To be here in the States and have it like we were playing at home is something that can probably only happen at this club," he said.

Agencies