Item 1 of 5 Soccer Football – FIFA Club World Cup – Group A – Palmeiras v Al Ahly – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. – June 19, 2025 Palmeiras’ Jose Lopez celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Susana Vera
[1/5]Soccer Football – FIFA Club World Cup – Group A – Palmeiras v Al Ahly – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. – June 19, 2025 Palmeiras’ Jose Lopez celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Susana Vera Purchase Licensing Rights
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., , June 19 (Reuters) – Brazil’s Palmeiras scored twice in the space of 10 second-half minutes to beat Al Ahly of Egypt 2-0 in their Group A Club World Cup clash which was halted for 50 minutes because of fears over stormy weather at the MetLife Stadium on Thursday.
Ahly’s Palestine international striker Wessam Abou Ali headed into his own net trying to defend a free kick whipped in by Anibal Moreno, getting into a mix-up with his defenders to hand Palmeiras a 49th minute lead.
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The first goal in the group was followed 10 minutes later by a swift counter-attack from the Brazilian club, expertly finished by Jose Manuel Lopez, who had come on at halftime.
Immediately after the second goal, English referee Anthony Taylor took the two teams off the field while spectators were told by the public address announcer to leave their seats and seek shelter under the stadium concourse because of a “severe weather threat”.
The precaution came despite no obvious signs of any storm, and after 30 minutes, spectators were told they could return to their seats. The game eventually restarted after a 50-minute delay, with Palmeiras keeping up their second-half dominance.
“It favours the team that is leading when you have a break like that,” said Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira. “They were a difficult opponent but we kept our focus.”
The first period had been evenly contested, with a surprisingly high tempo for a game kicking off at midday in 31-degree Celsius heat and 60% humidity, which made it feel much hotter.
“It was an equal first half and we felt a goal could come for us at any time and that we had the game under control,” said Ahly coach Jose Riveiro.
“But in the second half we didn’t have that good a half.”
Teenage prodigy Estevao displayed the talent that has seen him secure a move to Chelsea, notably in the 18th minute when he sprinted down the right wing before cutting inside across the Ahly box but scuffed his shot wide as the Cairo club’s defence seemed mesmerised by his pace.
Ahly had drawn 0-0 with Inter Miami in the tournament opener, while Palmeiras and FC Porto both failed to score when they played at the New Jersey stadium on Sunday.
But the scoring drought in the group ended when Abou Ali inadvertently steered the ball into his own net soon into the second half.
There were four Palmeiras players involved in a swift break from their own penalty area for the second goal, which Argentine striker Lopez expertly finished shrugging off a defender to place the ball in the net.
A first red card of the tournament was brandished by Taylor after Raphael Vega’s dangerous-looking tackle on Ahmed Zizo, but the referee changed his mind after reviewing the action on the pitchside VAR screen. It was downgraded to a yellow card and Vega was replaced at halftime by coach Abel Ferreira.
Inter Miami and Porto meet in their next Group A fixture later on Thursday in Atlanta.
Editing by Toby Davis and Pritha Sarkar
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