Latest news with #AlAhly
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Watch: Lionel Messi magic sparks Inter Miami to comeback victory over Porto
Inter Miami – held to a goalless draw by Egyptian side Al Ahly in their opening Group A fixture at Hard Rock Stadium – recovered after falling behind to an early penalty from Porto forward Samu Aghehowa. The Major League Soccer outfit were back on level terms just two minutes into the second half when Venezuela midfielder Telasco Segovia fired home from Marcelo Weigandt's cross. Messi completed the turnaround in the 53rd minute when he curled a 20-yard free-kick into the top corner. Botafogo caused the biggest upset of the tournament so far as the Copa Libertadores winners downed Champions League victors Paris St Germain 1-0 in Pasadena. Igor Jesus' deflected strike after a swift counter attack gave the Brazilian side victory as they produced a magnificent defensive display to blunt PSG's much-vaunted attack. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content In the other game in Group B, Atletico Madrid ran out 3-1 winners over the Seattle Sounders thanks to a Pablo Barrios brace and Axel Witsel's header. Palmeiras had earlier beaten Al Ahly 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium, with the game interrupted during the second half because of the threat of lightning in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Brazilians had seen forward Raphael Veiga shown a straight red card by English referee Anthony Taylor in the 37th minute following a high challenge on Al Ahly winger Zizo. However, after being advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, Taylor changed his decision to issue only a yellow card. Palmeiras broke the deadlock three minutes into the second half through an own goal when Al Ahly forward Wessam Abou Ali headed a deep free-kick into the top corner of his own net before substitute Flaco Lopez broke clear to double the lead just ahead of the hour. ADVERTISEMENT With thunderstorms looming, the players were soon signalled to come off as the match was suspended in the 63rd minute. A notice was displayed on the stadium's big screen, directing all spectators to leave the seated bowl area and take shelter inside 'for your safety' because of 'severe weather in the area'. Following a delay of around 45 minutes, with the weather conditions improved, play was able to continue. Palmeiras went on to close out a first win – which puts them level on four points with Inter Miami ahead of their final group game at the Hard Rock Stadium on June 24.
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Club World Cup match halted as fans vacate seats and players told to remain calm
Club World Cup match halted as fans vacate seats and players told to remain calm The Club World Cup match between Palmeiras and Al Ahly had to be halted on Thursday afternoon as fans were told to find shelter amid severe lightning in the area Players leave the field after the match was suspended due severe weather warning is given for a storm (Image: Getty Images ) During the Club World Cup encounter between Palmeiras and Egyptian outfit Al Ahly, play was brought to a standstill due to lightning nearby on Thursday. The match was paused shortly after the 60-minute mark by referee Anthony Taylor, well-known among Premier League spectators, who deemed it necessary to interrupt the game. Taylor signalled for all players to return to the changing rooms, while supporters were directed into the covered areas of the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which is set to host the forthcoming World Cup final. Commentary was switched back to the studio as stadium screens cautioned attendees with a message, which also told the players to walk "calmly" off the pitch. The announcement read: "Your attention please. "For your safety, we are going to have everyone leave the Seating Bowl area and take shelter inside the stadium because of severe weather in the area. "Event Staff are available to guide and assist you. Article continues below "Those on the field, please walk calmly to the nearest tunnel, to the West Hall, or to the service corridor." At the cessation of play, Brazilian club Palmeiras was leading two-nil, having scored in their second tournament game during Group A competition. They found the net first at the 49th minute following an own goal by Wessam Abou Ali, with Jose Manuel Lopez increasing their lead soon before the forced break, reports the Express. The delay ensued shortly after, lasting for 48 minutes with the game resuming at 2.15pm local time in the American north-east. Palmeiras managed to maintain their lead until the end of the match, temporarily securing the top spot in the group before Porto's face-off with Inter Miami. Estevao Willian, who celebrated his 18th birthday only in April, was awarded Player of the Match for the second consecutive game, sparking renewed enthusiasm among Chelsea supporters ahead of his anticipated move to Stamford Bridge later this summer. Article continues below Weather disruptions have become an unfortunate yet frequent occurrence at the restructured Club World Cup. On Tuesday night, organisers had to rearrange the schedule due to a thunderstorm, pushing back the kick-off time for the match between Ulsan Hyundai and Mamelodi Sundowns from 6pm local time to 7.05pm. More severe weather conditions hit on Wednesday, causing the match between RB Salzburg and Pachuca to be halted in the 54th minute. The game did not resume for over an hour as officials had to wait for the storm to pass.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Telegraph
I visited the World Cup final venue in New York... it is dull and dangerously hot
It is 10.45am at the MetLife Stadium, but it is already dangerously hot. It is 32C in the shade and some fans are feeling it as they walk. Two New Jersey state police officers are sitting in a gazebo outside the vast steel perimeter of what will be the venue for next year's World Cup final. Directly behind them is a large air conditioning unit – pumping chill air out into the open as the searing heat bounces off the tarmac and concrete that stretches out across the vast surrounding car parks and into the rest of the Meadowlands sports complex beyond. The officers are happy, but environmentally, it is a disaster. The 10.45am local time may well be at half-time during next year's World Cup final, which takes place in this stadium not in mid-June but on July 19, the absolute height of summer. And so this is what happened when attending a Club World Cup group game, between the Brazilian club Palmeiras and the Egyptian champions Al-Ahly. It is a story of a fixture that started at midday and was therefore due to finish before 2pm, and eventually ended at 2.52pm because the stands were evacuated due to a severe weather warning, including the small risk of a tornado. Even then, English referee Anthony Taylor should have announced far more than just six minutes of added time. But by then the players had stopped. It is also the story of another half-empty stadium – just 35,179 inside this huge open bowl that holds 82,500 – and of an Uber taxi driver trying to charge $150 (£111.40) in the middle of the afternoon for the tortuously slow eight-mile trip back into central New York. When challenged, he immediately dropped his price to $100 – still a rip-off. And it is the story of an apparently unloved stadium, built just 18 years ago and criticised for its lack of character and atmosphere, where it can take up to two hours to get out of the car park, but which will host the most watched sports event in the world with five billion viewers. First the heat. Fifa will not confirm the kick-off time for next year's final until after the World Cup draw in December. But there is speculation it could be as early as 10am (3pm UK time), although the semi-finals and final of this tournament, also held here, are scheduled for 3pm local time (8pm in the UK). That feels more likely. The humidity on my visit was 60 per cent and that is on the cusp of affecting sports performance, according to experts. At 1.25pm, the game was suspended. Just over an hour had been played when it was announced that everyone in the stands and the players on the pitch had to leave to take shelter inside the stadium because of a potential lightning storm. There was even a small chance of a tornado. A message emblazoned on the giant screens read: 'Your attention please. For your safety, we are going to have everyone leave the seating bowl area and take shelter inside the stadium because of severe weather in the area. Those on the field, please walk calmly to the nearest tunnel, to the West Hall, or the service corridor.' The delay, with Palmeiras 2-0 up, lasted 50 minutes. Many fans of Al-Ahly – there is a large Egyptian diaspora in the United States and New Jersey in particular – simply decided not to return. There was even a delay to the delay as Taylor could not get his communication equipment to work and then we waited for the broadcasters to be ready. Just 14 minutes later there was a drinks break, the second of the game, but interest among fans had dwindled by then and the game petered away. Is this the kind of football Fifa wants? The first drinks stop came after half an hour with players already being draped in wet towels and handed ice packs. When Taylor announced over the PA system that he was rescinding a red card he had wrongly awarded for a tackle, after a VAR check, the sweat was pouring down his shaved head. Weather cannot be controlled but how will such a delay and an apparent dwindling of interest look for next year's World Cup final? Instead of trying to explain what was going on, the officials spent their time trying to stop journalists live-streaming and checking their accreditations. After all, all Fifa content must be protected, even at the price of preventing information being spread. It was not just the players feeling the heat. There is very little shade inside this enormous roofless bowl for the supporters with those at the vertiginous top also having pretty poor views. Small bottles of water were selling for $5 and Bud Light beer at $14. Hot dogs? They were $8.50 and a pretzel $9 – plus tax. Not that the police liked anyone walking around with a water bottle. I was stopped and surrounded by no fewer than eight officers and had to have my bag checked, firstly by a sniffer dog. Fifa will set its own prices – do not expect them to go down – and deliver its own branding for the World Cup, which is partly why it has chosen for the tournament so many bigger American football stadiums, such as this one, the home of the New York Jets and Giants. Only 12 of the 63 games are being played in stadiums specifically designed for 'soccer', with eight of the 12 grounds having capacities of at least 65,000. Four of them will be used at the World Cup, with the MetLife hosting the most games. This competition is a dry run. A very dry run, given the temperature. The Club World Cup game was tough going. It was the third to be played in this stadium already during this tournament with the previous two ending goalless. When a score arrived it was an own goal headed headed in by Al-Ahly striker Wessam Abou Ali before Palmeiras substitute José Manuel López broke away to add a smartly taken second. At that point, an Egyptian journalist in the press box, wearing a red Al-Ahly shirt and who had been shouting throughout the game, unplugged his phone and walked away in disgust. Even the playing surface at the stadium has been criticised. The MetLife pitch with its synthetic grass is notoriously disliked by the NFL players – with 13 serious injuries suffered in the past five years, including famed quarterback Aaron Rodgers tearing his Achilles, so Fifa installed real turf. But players and coaches at this tournament have not been impressed and right up until kick-off, and then at half-time, four large firemen's hoses were dragged on to drench the pitch. It still quickly dried out. Getting to the MetLife is not easy. The stadium is in East Rutherford, right in the middle of Meadowlands, to the west of New York, near to the highways that lead into the city and the main routes around New Jersey. There is simply nothing else nearby and fans are told not to attempt to walk from local hotels. 'It is illegal and dangerous,' they have been warned in one poster. There are plenty of parking spaces for about $50, but how many fans attending the World Cup will have cars? And, it takes up to two hours to get out of the car parks – longer than the actual game unless there is another weather incident. The Meadowlands rail station, right on the doorstep, is open on match days, although fans were being directed instead to buses at the final whistle and it is a slow journey from Secaucus Junction, where they have to change trains to New York Penn Street. The Palmeiras supporters,who had taken over Brooklyn Bridge, were out in force, smuggling in flags and banners far bigger than those permitted by Fifa and trying to create any atmosphere. But this stadium lacks any character. It just feels a bit drab and grey and unsuitable and has been plonked in the middle of nowhere. It is dull, much like the football played here during this tournament so far. Even though ticket prices had been cut to just $38, huge sections of the stadium – three-quarters of the top tier and even more of the middle one – were closed and taken off sale. It will be different for the World Cup and the latter stages of this competition. Demand will be far higher. But that raises more serious questions, with complaints that the walkways out are too narrow for huge crowds to easily disperse. Maybe it will look differently next year when it is kitted out by Fifa, even if it will be hard to transform a stadium which has been compared to an air conditioning unit in the way it looks and the way it feels. Which, of course, is where we started.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Ageless superstar Messi steers Inter Miami, PSG upset
Lionel Messi has scored his first goal of the expanded Club World Cup from an exquisite free kick, lifting Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over two-time European champions Porto. But the upset of the day belonged to Botafago, who upstaged Paris St Germain 1-0 at the Rose Bowl. Igor Jesus scored late in the first half for the South American champions, who withstood a tense second half while moving atop their group at 2-0-0. PSG hadn't lost in any competition since May 3, but the European champions looked understandably weary at times before a lively crowd of 53,699. Inter Miami, meanwhile, trailed 1-0 at the break but Telasco Segovia levelled matters two minutes into the second half off a cross into the box from Marcelo Weigandt. Then it was time for the 37-year-old Argentinian to add a trademark goal to a resume that already assures he'll go down as one of the game's greatest ever. Samu Omorodion scored from a penalty kick in the opening minutes after a video review for the Portuguese club's first goal of the tournament. Both teams were held to scoreless draws in their opening Group A matches. Messi was taken down just outside the penalty area by Rodrigo Mora during a run from the middle of the field. The crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium chanted "Messi!" Messi! Messi!" before his left-footed blast cleared the Porto wall and ripped the net in the top right corner in the 54th minute. Inter Miami return to South Florida on Monday, knowing a victory over Brazilian club Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium will lock up their spot in the round of 16. In desperate need of a win, Porto will close out group play against Egypt's Al Ahly at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Earlier, Palmeiras beat Egyptian club Al Ahly 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium, with the game interrupted during the second half because of the threat of lightning in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Brazilians had seen forward Raphael Veiga shown a straight red card by English referee Anthony Taylor in the 37th minute following a high challenge on Al Ahly winger Zizo. However, after being advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, Taylor changed his decision to issue only a yellow card. Palmeiras broke the deadlock three minutes into the second half through an own goal when Al Ahly forward Wessam Abou Ali headed a deep free-kick into the top corner of his own net before substitute Flaco Lopez broke clear to double the lead just ahead of the hour. With thunderstorms looming, the players were soon signalled to come off as the match was suspended in the 63rd minute. A notice was displayed on the stadium's big screen, directing all spectators to leave the seated bowl area and take shelter inside "for your safety" because of "severe weather in the area". Palmeiras went on to close out a first win that put them level on four points with Inter Miami ahead of their final group game at the Hard Rock Stadium on June 24. In Pasadena, Jesus's stunning score in the 36th minute was the first goal allowed since May 17 by PSG, who routed Atlético Madrid 4-0 last Sunday. The French powerhouse had outscored their last three opponents by a combined 12-0, winning the French Cup and the Champions League final along the way. Ballon d'Or contender Ousmane Dembélé missed his second straight game for PSG with a quadriceps injury. His teammates still dominated possession in the first half, even though coach Luis Enrique rotated his starting lineup. Everything came undone with the remarkable individual effort by Jesus, the Brazilian striker reportedly headed for Nottingham Forest next season. PSG finished with 16 shot attempts to Botafogo's four, but all four were on target, whereas PSG only got two on net. Jesus controlled Jefferson Savarino's long pass, beat two defenders and thumped a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma. He leapt over a barrier and up onto the front row of the Rose Bowl stands to celebrate with Botafogo's ecstatic supporters. PSG had little of the sublime connective play that characterised their stellar run over the past month, but Enrique's club is still in a strong position to advance as they head to Seattle on Monday to play Major League Soccer's Sounders. with PA Lionel Messi has scored his first goal of the expanded Club World Cup from an exquisite free kick, lifting Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over two-time European champions Porto. But the upset of the day belonged to Botafago, who upstaged Paris St Germain 1-0 at the Rose Bowl. Igor Jesus scored late in the first half for the South American champions, who withstood a tense second half while moving atop their group at 2-0-0. PSG hadn't lost in any competition since May 3, but the European champions looked understandably weary at times before a lively crowd of 53,699. Inter Miami, meanwhile, trailed 1-0 at the break but Telasco Segovia levelled matters two minutes into the second half off a cross into the box from Marcelo Weigandt. Then it was time for the 37-year-old Argentinian to add a trademark goal to a resume that already assures he'll go down as one of the game's greatest ever. Samu Omorodion scored from a penalty kick in the opening minutes after a video review for the Portuguese club's first goal of the tournament. Both teams were held to scoreless draws in their opening Group A matches. Messi was taken down just outside the penalty area by Rodrigo Mora during a run from the middle of the field. The crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium chanted "Messi!" Messi! Messi!" before his left-footed blast cleared the Porto wall and ripped the net in the top right corner in the 54th minute. Inter Miami return to South Florida on Monday, knowing a victory over Brazilian club Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium will lock up their spot in the round of 16. In desperate need of a win, Porto will close out group play against Egypt's Al Ahly at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Earlier, Palmeiras beat Egyptian club Al Ahly 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium, with the game interrupted during the second half because of the threat of lightning in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Brazilians had seen forward Raphael Veiga shown a straight red card by English referee Anthony Taylor in the 37th minute following a high challenge on Al Ahly winger Zizo. However, after being advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, Taylor changed his decision to issue only a yellow card. Palmeiras broke the deadlock three minutes into the second half through an own goal when Al Ahly forward Wessam Abou Ali headed a deep free-kick into the top corner of his own net before substitute Flaco Lopez broke clear to double the lead just ahead of the hour. With thunderstorms looming, the players were soon signalled to come off as the match was suspended in the 63rd minute. A notice was displayed on the stadium's big screen, directing all spectators to leave the seated bowl area and take shelter inside "for your safety" because of "severe weather in the area". Palmeiras went on to close out a first win that put them level on four points with Inter Miami ahead of their final group game at the Hard Rock Stadium on June 24. In Pasadena, Jesus's stunning score in the 36th minute was the first goal allowed since May 17 by PSG, who routed Atlético Madrid 4-0 last Sunday. The French powerhouse had outscored their last three opponents by a combined 12-0, winning the French Cup and the Champions League final along the way. Ballon d'Or contender Ousmane Dembélé missed his second straight game for PSG with a quadriceps injury. His teammates still dominated possession in the first half, even though coach Luis Enrique rotated his starting lineup. Everything came undone with the remarkable individual effort by Jesus, the Brazilian striker reportedly headed for Nottingham Forest next season. PSG finished with 16 shot attempts to Botafogo's four, but all four were on target, whereas PSG only got two on net. Jesus controlled Jefferson Savarino's long pass, beat two defenders and thumped a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma. He leapt over a barrier and up onto the front row of the Rose Bowl stands to celebrate with Botafogo's ecstatic supporters. PSG had little of the sublime connective play that characterised their stellar run over the past month, but Enrique's club is still in a strong position to advance as they head to Seattle on Monday to play Major League Soccer's Sounders. with PA Lionel Messi has scored his first goal of the expanded Club World Cup from an exquisite free kick, lifting Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over two-time European champions Porto. But the upset of the day belonged to Botafago, who upstaged Paris St Germain 1-0 at the Rose Bowl. Igor Jesus scored late in the first half for the South American champions, who withstood a tense second half while moving atop their group at 2-0-0. PSG hadn't lost in any competition since May 3, but the European champions looked understandably weary at times before a lively crowd of 53,699. Inter Miami, meanwhile, trailed 1-0 at the break but Telasco Segovia levelled matters two minutes into the second half off a cross into the box from Marcelo Weigandt. Then it was time for the 37-year-old Argentinian to add a trademark goal to a resume that already assures he'll go down as one of the game's greatest ever. Samu Omorodion scored from a penalty kick in the opening minutes after a video review for the Portuguese club's first goal of the tournament. Both teams were held to scoreless draws in their opening Group A matches. Messi was taken down just outside the penalty area by Rodrigo Mora during a run from the middle of the field. The crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium chanted "Messi!" Messi! Messi!" before his left-footed blast cleared the Porto wall and ripped the net in the top right corner in the 54th minute. Inter Miami return to South Florida on Monday, knowing a victory over Brazilian club Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium will lock up their spot in the round of 16. In desperate need of a win, Porto will close out group play against Egypt's Al Ahly at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Earlier, Palmeiras beat Egyptian club Al Ahly 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium, with the game interrupted during the second half because of the threat of lightning in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Brazilians had seen forward Raphael Veiga shown a straight red card by English referee Anthony Taylor in the 37th minute following a high challenge on Al Ahly winger Zizo. However, after being advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, Taylor changed his decision to issue only a yellow card. Palmeiras broke the deadlock three minutes into the second half through an own goal when Al Ahly forward Wessam Abou Ali headed a deep free-kick into the top corner of his own net before substitute Flaco Lopez broke clear to double the lead just ahead of the hour. With thunderstorms looming, the players were soon signalled to come off as the match was suspended in the 63rd minute. A notice was displayed on the stadium's big screen, directing all spectators to leave the seated bowl area and take shelter inside "for your safety" because of "severe weather in the area". Palmeiras went on to close out a first win that put them level on four points with Inter Miami ahead of their final group game at the Hard Rock Stadium on June 24. In Pasadena, Jesus's stunning score in the 36th minute was the first goal allowed since May 17 by PSG, who routed Atlético Madrid 4-0 last Sunday. The French powerhouse had outscored their last three opponents by a combined 12-0, winning the French Cup and the Champions League final along the way. Ballon d'Or contender Ousmane Dembélé missed his second straight game for PSG with a quadriceps injury. His teammates still dominated possession in the first half, even though coach Luis Enrique rotated his starting lineup. Everything came undone with the remarkable individual effort by Jesus, the Brazilian striker reportedly headed for Nottingham Forest next season. PSG finished with 16 shot attempts to Botafogo's four, but all four were on target, whereas PSG only got two on net. Jesus controlled Jefferson Savarino's long pass, beat two defenders and thumped a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma. He leapt over a barrier and up onto the front row of the Rose Bowl stands to celebrate with Botafogo's ecstatic supporters. PSG had little of the sublime connective play that characterised their stellar run over the past month, but Enrique's club is still in a strong position to advance as they head to Seattle on Monday to play Major League Soccer's Sounders. with PA
The South African
2 hours ago
- Climate
- The South African
Blow for Africa as Al Ahly beaten at Club World Cup
Palmeiras drew first blood in Club World Cup Group A with a 2-0 victory over Al Ahly on Thursday in New Jersey. The match was suspended in the 63rd minute because of a weather warning, with players and fans at the MetLife Stadium instructed to 'take shelter' because of a nearby storm. Palmeiras were leading by two goals at the time, with a Wessam Abou Ali own goal sending the Brazilians ahead in the 49th minute before Flaco Lopez doubled their lead on the Egyptians 10 minutes later. Victory took Palmeiras top on four points, with the other three sides level on one point each – as at the full-time whistle. It was the third match at the tournament affected by adverse weather at the tournament. On Tuesday, Mamelodi Sundowns game against Ulsan HD was suspended just before kick-off for just over an hour due to a weather alert. Then on Wednesday RB Salzburg's match against Pachuca was suspended in the second half for 97 minutes because of a storm. Palmeiras, led by talented youngster Estevao Willian, who is set to join Chelsea, played well but were held by Porto in their opening clash. Al Ahly kept them at bay in a tight first half, in which English referee Anthony Taylor sent off Palmeiras midfielder Raphael Veiga for a foul on Ahmed Zizo, before overturning his decision following a VAR review. Palestinian striker Abou Ali headed Anibal Moreno's free-kick into his own net to hand Palmeiras the lead. Lopez finished coolly for the Brazilians' second after Mauricio played him through on goal. After the suspension of around 45 minutes for the weather warning, Palmeiras played out the remainder of the match comfortably without risking their advantage. South American sides have come into the tournament strongly, in good condition given they are in the middle of their domestic seasons, and have stayed unbeaten to this point. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news. By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
