An Impressive Showing by Messi's Herons: Takeaways From Draw vs. Al Ahly | OneFootball

Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi came close in the final moments, and Al Ahly’s Trézéguet missed a penalty kick in the first half as the opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup worked its way to a scoreless draw at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

While concerns surrounded the potential lack of crowds at the first game and the tournament, over 60,000 fans packed into the NFL home of the Miami Dolphins, with the majority of the crowd seemingly supporting the Egyptian Premier League side.

Although neither side got an opportunity to celebrate a goal, which would have been the first in the new-look, 32-team Club World Cup, they were treated to a stellar back-and-forth clash, which saw both teams have several significant scoring chances throughout the 90 minutes.

Both sides will take a point from the clash and look forward to their other Group A opponents in Portugal’s FC Porto and Brazil’s Palmeiras, with hopes of bringing more attention to their clubs and leagues, while continuing their run through the knockout stages.

What did Miami learn in the match? Here are Sports Illustrated’s takeaways.

A Point Creates Possibilities

Al Ahly FC goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy made five saves against Inter Miami in his Club World Cup opener clean sheet. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Inter Miami were always going to face an uphill battle at the FIFA Club World Cup. Despite having superstars in Messi, Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets available for the opener, head coach Javier Mascherano’s squad simply did not have the depth on paper to compete with the world's best teams.

Yet, they were able to go toe-to-toe with the 45-time Egyptian champions, creating three significant chances and putting up five shots on target, with Messi nearly beating goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy at several points from set-piece opportunities in the second half.

Outside of Messi, though, the Herons struggled to produce many chances. Suárez couldn’t find his footing in the game and had an off-night, which has been more common for him this season, after scoring 20 goals in his first season with Miami.

The other standout chance came late in the game from a substitute and MLS journeyman Fafa Picault, who had a headed opportunity off Messi’s cross in the final moments.

At the back end of the pitch, Miami did a lot of things right, and Mascherano was astute in his substitutions, taking off Tomás Aviles after he picked up a yellow card, and appeared to be under heavy judgment from the referee.

Overall, though, the point will be disappointing for Miami, who will leave the match thinking they had a chance at a full three points. At the same time, it might be a similar feeling for Al Ahly, who will certainly rue their missed opportunities and the chance to get an extra two points.

“I’m happy with the performance. Much better in the second half,” Mascherano told DAZN. “In the first half, we lost some balls, and in some transitions, they were very dangerous. But in the second half, we played in the opposite half, we controlled the game, and we had the chances to win the game.”

Oscar Ustari Finds His Form

Oscar Ustari made eight standout saves to earn a point for Inter Miami against Al-Ahly. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The defensive worries that have plagued Inter Miami in MLS play continued against Al Ahly, but goalkeeper Oscar Ustari played his best match for the Herons to keep them in the game.

The 38-year-old Argentine made eight saves, highlighted by a penalty kick stop against Trézéguet just ahead of the halftime mark, before continuing his standout play in the second half, even as Miami began to settle into the match.

While Ustari has struggled to make a significant impact in league play this season, often being caught out of position or in miscommunication with his defenders, he took on leadership roles in the Club World Cup opener, serving as both an organizational focal point and a shot-stopping presence.

However, there is little evidence in recent history to suggest that he is able to maintain form for several matches. The remaining opponents of FC Porto and Palmeiras are likely to present a more challenging attacking threat, raising concerns that Miami wasted his best performance on a draw.

Nevertheless, it’s a strong start for Ustari and Miami’s backline, something they have seldom had in MLS until recently.

A Good Day for Ian Fray

Ian Fray was a key player in an otherwise forgettable first half for Inter Miami. / Marco Bello-Reuters via Imagn Images

Inter Miami have had plenty of issues when it comes to the backline this season, but they have found something in Ian Fray at right back.

While the second half performance was an overall improvement for the entire team, Fray was the standout from the first half and maintained his level in the second. The 22-year-old American was dynamic down the right flank, linking up with Telasco Segovia while completing two successful progressive dribbles and putting in five tackles.

Fray has consistently demonstrated his bravery and ability to take risks from his fullback position and was able to play at his peak form against Al Ahly, with Jordi Alba’s absence allowing him to attack more, as left back Noah Allen held back more than the Spaniard usually does.