Al Ahly miss out on Real Madrid clash
Wessam Abou Ali of Al Ahly ©Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix
by Staff Reporter
Saturday Dec 14, 2024. 20:06
African champions Al Ahly have missed out a place in the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup after they were defeated 6-5 on penalties by Mexico’s Pachuca at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday evening.
The Egyptian club held their opponents goalless through 120 minutes of hard-fought football, before losing a dramatic shootout in which they had not one, but two chances to settle the tie and book a date with Real Madrid in the final next Wednesday.
Al Ahly had the first notable attacking highlight, as Taher Mohamed let fly with a long-range drive and forced a fine save from Pachuca goalkeeper Carlos Moreno in the 13th minute.
Ten minutes later the Mexican side had a chance for veteran striker Salomon Rondon, but the Venezuelan hit a volley over the target after great work from Moroccan attacker Oussama Idrissi.
The teams cancelled each other out in the remainder of the first half, with neither able to really find a rhythm, nor create any clear-cut chances.
Pachuca enjoyed more of the ball and often managed to put Al Ahly on the back foot, but the African heavyweights looked quick and dangerous on the break.
The second half saw a similar pattern, with the best chance produced by Pachuca’s Idrissi, who drew a sharp stop from Mohamed El Shenawy in the 84th minute – the Al Ahly goalkeeper’s first save of the match.
The 90 minutes failed to separate the teams, as did the extra half hour of extra time, leaving penalties to settle the tie.
Pachuca got off to an awful start in the shootout, with Rondon seeing his effort saved and Borja Baston blasting over, but Ahly – after successfully converting their first three kicks – then saw both Kahraba and Omar Kamal miss, when success from either one would have secured victory.
Sudden death kicks went to the eight round, when Ahly substitute Khaled Abdelfattah saw his effort rebound off the crossbar and decide the shootout 6-5 in favour of the Mexican team.
Pachuca will face European champions Real Madrid in the final at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar on the evening of Wednesday 18 December.
Pachuca 0
Al Ahly 0
After extra time; Pachuca won 6-5 on penalties
Pachuca: Moreno, Rodriguez, Cabral, Micolta, B. Gonzalez, Bautista (Mena 56’ [Baston 120+1’]), Pedraza (Mosquera 109’), A. Gonzalez (Deossa 46’), Gutierrez, Idrissi, Rondon
Ahly: El Shenawy, Kamal, Ibrahim, Rabia, Attiyat Allah (Abdelfattah 90+2’), Attia, Tawfik (El Solia 100’), T. Mohamed (Tau 90+2’), Ashour, El Shahat (Afsha 71’), Abou Ali (Kahraba 78’)