Goalkeepers shine as Inter Miami, Al Ahly open Club World Cup with draw

Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and Al Ahly counterpart Mohamed Elshenawy stood tall to earn their teams a goalless draw in the opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday.

The 38-year-old Miami netminder made several outstanding saves in the first half, including turning aside a penalty from Egyptian forward Trezeguet in the 43rd minute, as the hosts were overrun at Hard Rock Stadium to begin the contest.

If not for Ustari's heroics, the contest could have been out of reach by the halftime interval. The 12-time African champions, spurred on by their raucous fans who traveled to the United States, continuously carved through the Inter Miami defense. Al Ahly created two clear-cut breakaways that Ustari denied before earning their penalty kick, but Trezeguet couldn't bury the golden opportunity, and he couldn't get a clean shot off on the rebound.

Inter Miami, lucky to still be level after 45 minutes, turned the tide in the second half, but Elshenawy promptly replicated the performance of his opposite number.

The Al Ahly shot-stopper came up with two massive saves in the waning seconds of the entertaining affair, including redirecting a spectacular long-range effort from Lionel Messi onto the crossbar in the 95th minute.

That came just moments after he leapt to make a fine save on a header from substitute Fafa Picault. Messi created that chance with an inch-perfect cross.

The Argentine superstar also came close earlier in the second half, bending a free-kick around the wall that shaved the outside of the post. When the ball bounced back off the advertising boards and into the netting behind the goal, many in the stands thought the Miami magician had scored.

"In the second half, we created chances," Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano told DAZN after the 0-0 stalemate. "We controlled the game, we had the chances to score and win the game."

He added: "Maybe in the first half we were excited, we were nervous, we didn't move the ball from one side to the other. So we tried to translate to the players to be calm, we have to keep possession, we can find the spaces to attack better."

Both teams ultimately had to settle for a point in the first game of the expanded competition, which was played in front of more than 60,000 fans at Hard Rock Stadium despite earlier concerns about ticket sales. FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who has championed the revamped event, was in attendance, seated beside soccer legends Ronaldo and Roberto Baggio.

Inter Miami and Al Ahly are back in action July 19 against fellow Group A foes FC Porto and Palmeiras, respectively.