As Mamelodi Sundowns prepare to embark on their FIFA Club World Cup journey with a highly anticipated match against Ulsan HD on Wednesday morning, they can draw valuable insights from the opening performance of another African giant: Al Ahly.
Under the astute guidance of former Orlando Pirates boss Jose Riveiro, the Egyptian champions demonstrated both strengths and areas for improvement in their goalless draw against a Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami.
Read: Rulani Mokwena is confident Mamelodi Sundowns can hold their own in the Club World Cup
Ahead of Sundowns’ looming clash with Ulsan HD, SBN brings you three key takeaways that could prove instrumental in their tournament debut.
Start Strong
Al Ahly wasted no time in asserting their dominance against Inter Miami, launching a flurry of attacks and creating several promising scoring opportunities within the initial ten minutes.
A prime example was Mohamed Romdhane’s shot from inside the six-yard box in the fifth minute, which was expertly denied by Inter Miami’s goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari.
Despite an early setback with Emam Ashour’s injury in the 14th minute, forcing an unexpected substitution of Ahmed Sayed, Al Ahly maintained their offensive pressure. Romdhane continued to combine effectively, notably with Hamdi Fathi, whose subsequent shot was also thwarted by Ustari, who was rapidly establishing himself as a formidable barrier.
The Red Devils even thought they had broken the deadlock in the 30th minute through Wessam Ali, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.
Further chances materialized, including a dangerous free-kick in the 32nd minute after Mahmoud Trezeguet was fouled, taken well by Ali but again saved spectacularly by Ustari. The ensuing corner kick nearly resulted in a goal, with Yasser Ibrahim’s header being incredibly saved by the inspired shot stopper.
Sundowns’ Lesson: The South Africans must capitalize on any early dominance they establish, converting chances into goals to avoid frustration and build momentum against Ulsan HD.
Practice Penalties
The best chance of the game took the form of a penalty awarded to Al Ahly in the 44th minute. However, the golden opportunity was squandered as Trezeguet’s effort was saved by Ustari, who capped off an outstanding first-half performance.
The dramatic penalty miss by Trezeguet against Inter Miami serves as a stark reminder of the immense pressure and psychological battle involved in spot-kicks, especially on such a grand stage.
This particular moment proved costly for Al Ahly, something that Mamelodi Sundowns, having faced their own penalty shoot-out heartbreaks, will undoubtedly appreciate.
Sundowns’ Lesson: Practicing penalties ahead of the fixture against Masandawana’s shot stoppers will serve as great psychological preparation for such high-stakes moments and could be invaluable.
Last Gasp Drama
In a dramatic final sequence, Maximiliano Falcon believed he had found the winner for Inter Miami, but El Shenawy once again proved to be the saviour, bravely blocking the defender’s shot with his face.
He continued to make crucial saves in the dying minutes, including another from a powerful Messi shot from outside the box, ensuring the game ended in a hard-fought goalless draw.
Sundowns’ Lesson: Miguel Cardoso’s men must be prepared for a high octane finish to the clash and their backline, along with their goalkeeper, will need to be at their absolute best to withstand any closing stage challenges posed by Ulsan HD.