EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — A dramatic late goal from Pepê in the 89th minute enabled Porto to secure a 4-4 draw against Al Ahly in an enthralling match on Monday night. Both teams were subsequently eliminated from the Club World Cup as they fell short on goal differential.
The match at MetLife Stadium was witnessed by 39,893 soccer enthusiasts, predominantly donned in red jerseys, as Rodrigo Mora, William Gomes, and Samu Aghehowa found the back of the net for the Portuguese side. In response, Wessam Abou Ali dazzled with a hat trick for the Egyptian squad.
As the clock ticked down, both teams made spirited attempts to capitalize on late opportunities, but neither managed to outpace Inter Miami, which had earlier tied 2-2 with Palmeiras.
A pivotal moment came in stoppage time when Mohamed Seha blocked Mora’s left-sided attempt in the 95th minute. However, Al Ahly nearly clinched the win shortly after, with Mohamed Hany’s powerful right-footed strike narrowly missing wide left.
Although Porto maintained a 56.5% advantage in possession, Al Ahly’s offensive efforts were more pronounced, boasting a 22-14 lead in shot attempts. The contest saw Al Ahly take the lead into halftime after capitalizing on an early penalty. Porto regained momentum with Gomes’s stunning strike that sailed into the top right corner from outside the area.
Wessam cemented his memorable evening by completing a hat trick with a well-placed header.
In the game’s closing moments, Pepê leveled the score with a precise shot from outside the box, finding the bottom left corner.
In conclusion, both clubs ended their tournament run with identical 0-2-1 records. Reflecting on the result, Porto’s coach Martín Anselmi stated, “We did not come not to qualify, we wanted to qualify. There were a lot of factors that we need to analyze of what this Club World Cup was.” Meanwhile, Al Ahly’s coach Jose Riveiro lamented, “When you score four goals in a game like this one, you should go away with the victory.”