Al-Ahly crushes Auckland.. and sets a date with Seattle in the Club World Cup

Goals: Al Ahly – Auckland City – Played on 02/01/2023

Al-Ahly qualified for the second round of the Club World Cup, by defeating New Zealand’s Auckland City (3-0), this evening, Wednesday, at the “Ibn Battuta” stadium in the Moroccan city of Tangier, at the opening of the tournament.

Al-Ahly Hussein Al-Shahat scored in the 45th minute, then Mohamed Sharif added the second goal in the 56th minute, while South African Percy Tau scored in the 86th minute of the match.

The African runners-up are qualified to face CONCACAF champions Seattle Sounders in the second round next Saturday.

Al-Ahly, led by Swiss Marcel Kohler, beat Auckland, which is technically led by Spaniard Albert Riera, after a relatively easy match for the Egyptian team.

The match started with a quick effort led by Al-Ahly striker Mohamed Sherif, who missed a close opportunity in the 6th minute, after a long pass from Ali Maaloul.

Auckland tried to take possession of the ball in the middle of the field, but it did not pose a threat to Mohamed El-Shennawy’s goal, as Maaloul removed an elaborate cross pass.. Al-Ahly responded with an attempt by Hamdi Fathy, which also did not pose a threat to the New Zealand team’s goal.

And Al-Shennawy shone.. as he turned away a dangerous cross for Auckland, and Mohamed Hani responded with a cross, which Sherif strangely pushed away from the goal, and Ahmed Abdel-Qader followed it up, but he hit it far from the goal.

Al-Shennawy continued to shine with a cross from a corner kick, Mali Aliou Diang responded with a long shot, then Sherif missed another close attempt in front of the Auckland goal before Hussein Al-Shahat scored the goal in the 45th minute with a powerful shot that hit the Auckland net at the end of the first half.

Al-Ahly imposed control over the course of events at the beginning of the second half, while Ahmed Abdel Qader missed an attempt close to the left front after a break of dribbling that ended with a penalty kick.

And Mohamed Sharif succeeded in scoring the second goal in the 56th minute, after a quick start with a pass from Hamdi Fathy, which ended with a brilliant shot in the Auckland goal, to enhance the progress of the red team.

Al-Shahat fired a shot into the hands of the Auckland goalkeeper, and the New Zealand team tried to revitalize its ranks with the participation of Angus Kekule and Jordan Vale, while Al-Ahly pushed the duo Percy Tau and Taher Muhammad Taher instead of Al-Shahat and Abdul Qadir.

Kahraba participated at Sharif’s expense.. Al-Ahly also pushed the player Marawan Attia instead of Hamdi Fathi, and the African runner-up continued his complete control with a cross from Hani that reached Maaloul, but it was not translated into a goal.

Mohamed Magdy “Afsha” participated at the expense of Amr Al-Souliya, while Percy Tau succeeded in scoring the third goal in the 83rd minute, after a wonderful shot from the South African player, which entered the Auckland net.

Kahraba tried to reach the Auckland goal, but without danger. Then another civil attempt was removed by the Auckland defense.

Taher set off and got a penalty kick in the last moments, but the referee canceled it and counted it outside the penalty area, and Adam Mitchell, the Auckland player, received the red card, while the goalkeeper blocked an “Afsha” shot moments before the end of the match.