Club World Cup Nightmare: Ahly Fall 2-0 to Clinical Palmeiras VIDEO
Ahly fell to a 2-0 defeat against Brazilian giants Palmeiras in Thursday’s FIFA Club World Cup group stage clash.
Ahly’s hopes took a major hit after a 2-0 loss to Brazilian side Palmeiras, marked by an own goal and a weather-disrupted second half.
Striker Wessam Abou Ali inadvertently opened the scoring for Palmeiras just four minutes after the break, turning the ball into his own net. Substitute José Lopez doubled the lead in the 59th minute, moments before the match was halted due to severe weather. Play resumed after a 30-minute delay.
Needing a win to stay in contention, Ahly now face a must-win clash against FC Porto on Tuesday.
The Red Devils started brightly, with midfielders Marwan Atteya, Hamdi Fathy, and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane dictating early possession. However, their attacking efforts lacked conviction and posed little threat to the Brazilian defense.
Palmeiras, in contrast, pressed aggressively and threatened on the counter. Their best early chance came in the 18th minute when teenager Estevão glided past two defenders, only to see his shot miss the target by inches.
The game nearly shifted in Ahly’s favor in the 34th minute when Palmeiras playmaker Raphael Veiga was shown a straight red card—only for the referee to overturn the decision after a VAR review.
Palmeiras took the lead early in the second half when Ahly striker Wessam Abou Ali accidentally headed the ball into his own net in the 49th minute. Six minutes later, the Brazilians came close to doubling their advantage, but Mohamed El-Shennawy produced a brilliant save to keep out a powerful free-kick.
The pressure eventually told in the 59th minute, as substitute José Lopez struck Palmeiras’ second, leaving Ahly with an uphill battle.
Just moments after the goal, the match was suspended for approximately 30 minutes due to severe weather conditions.
Following the delay, Ahly made a flurry of changes—bringing on Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdi, Achraf Bencharki, Nejc Gradisar, and Ahmed Ramadan for Hamdi Fathy, Trezeguet, Abou Ali, and Achraf Dari—but struggled to shift the momentum. It was Palmeiras who continued to threaten, looking more likely to extend their lead.
Midfielder Marwan Atteya picked up a booking late on, ruling him out of Tuesday’s crucial clash with FC Porto.
There was a slight spark of hope late in the game, as Moroccan winger Achraf Bencharki injected energy into the attack and twice tested Palmeiras’ defense.
Ahly now find themselves bottom of the group with just one point from two matches. They face a must-win showdown against FC Porto if they are to keep their hopes of reaching the round of 16 alive.
