Pressure Mounts On Riveiro As Al Ahly Stumbles At Club World Cup
Pressure is mounting on Al Ahly coach Jose Riveiro after his side suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Palmeiras in their second FIFA Club World Cup Group A match at MetLife Stadium on Thursday.
This loss stands in stark contrast to their goalless draw against Inter Miami in the tournament’s opening fixture last Friday.
Al Ahly lacked the attacking threat they displayed against Lionel Messi’s side in New York and are yet to score a goal in the competition after two matches. Riveiro, who joined Al Ahly from Orlando Pirates last month, now faces a must-win scenario in their final group stage match against FC Porto. Their progression will also hinge on Palmeiras doing them a favor by defeating Inter Miami, should the latter lose to FC Porto in their upcoming match.
Palmeiras’ victory over Al Ahly propelled them to the top of Group A with four points. They will be joined by the winner of the Inter Miami versus FC Porto match, which is set to kick off in Atlanta within the next hour.
Despite the searing conditions in New York, the game began with high intensity from both teams. Palmeiras came close to scoring twice through Chelsea-bound Estevão, who skillfully burst down the right flank and cut inside, only for the 18-year-old’s shot to agonize over the wide.
Playing across the frontline, Estevão later made another penetrating run into the box, evading Mohamed Elshenawy and attempting to find a teammate, but no one was available, allowing Al Ahly to clear the danger.
A flashpoint occurred in the 37th minute when Raphael Veiga was initially shown a red card by referee Anthony Taylor for a studs-up challenge on Zizo. However, the English referee was alerted to a potential error by VAR, which, after reviewing the incident, advised Taylor to overturn the red card and issue a yellow card instead, much to Veiga’s relief on his birthday.
The search for the first goal in Group A continued with end-to-end action before halftime. Despite this, the Egyptian giants, widely regarded as the most successful club on the African continent, edged the possession statistics.
Finally, the deadlock in Group A was broken by Palmeiras in the 49th minute. Al Ahly’s Wessam Abou Ali attempted to clear a free-kick from Anibal Moreno inside the box, but the ball unfortunately deflected off his head and into his own net.
This marked the first own goal of the tournament. After a review, Taylor’s decision stood, confirming the goal and ruling that Ali was not impeded, despite protests from the Egyptian players.
Palmeiras doubled their lead on a swift counter-attack after defending a set-piece. Mauricio released Jose Manuel Lopez, who shrugged off the challenge of Mohamed Hany before steadying himself to beat Elshenawy with a powerful low shot.
In the 62nd minute, the game was temporarily suspended due to an approaching thunderstorm. Referee Taylor informed both coaches that play would halt, and both teams were instructed to return to their dressing rooms. Fans were also advised to seek shelter within the stadium.
After a 48-minute weather delay, the game resumed, with Al Ahly making four substitutions in an effort to get back into the match. However, these changes did not impact the scoreline, as Palmeiras continued to dominate, ultimately securing all three points.
