The opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup delivered high drama, not least due to an unexpected flashpoint involving none other than Lionel Messi. As Inter Miami took on Egyptian giants Al Ahly, it wasn’t a goal, assist, or free kick that stole the headlines it was a fiery confrontation between the Argentine legend and an opposing player that stole limelight.
The tense exchange occurred just before a second-half free-kick when Messi clearly frustrated drifted into the box and locked eyes with Al Ahly’s number 6. Messi leaned in and delivered a light but pointed headbutt. Cameras barely caught the moment, but fans and teammates noticed immediately, rushing in to calm the escalating tension
Inter Miami held to goalless draw by Al Ahly
Both sides produced chances and moments of individual brilliance, particularly from the goalkeepers Inter Miami's Oscar Ustari and Al Ahly’s Mohamed El Shenawy who each pulled off several remarkable saves to keep their teams in the game.
In the first half alone, Ustari made four crucial saves from open play to deny the Egyptians an early lead. But it wasn't until the 46th minute that Ustari cemented his man-of-the-match status by saving the match-defining penalty. Ustari only recently became the starting goalkeeper after Drake Callender suffered a long-term injury in January.
Messi, surprisingly, made a major impact on the defensive end, blocking four promising Al Ahly attacks and even denying a potential game-winning penalty in the final minutes. Ustari finished the team's first match of the Club World Cup with eight saves, more than the amount of shots on goal (5) from Inter Miami.
Al Ahly will now likely need to beat either Palmeiras or Porto to qualify and after drawing with Miami a task that won't be easy.
