Ahly were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Inter Miami in their opener on Sunday, and now face a Palmeiras team that impressed in their own 0-0 draw against FC Porto a day later.
Despite the lack of goals, the Brazilian side dominated for long stretches, creating several clear chances and leaving a strong impression.
By contrast, Ahly showed two different faces in their opener — dominating the first half but failing to convert, before being pushed back in the second half by the MLS side.
“It was an important game for us, and we wanted to take all three points, but we wasted many chances in the first half,” said midfielder Mohamed Ben Romdhane after the draw with Inter Miami.
“We should learn from both the positives and our mistakes and hopefully we will win the next one.”
Winger Taher Mohamed added, “We missed a golden opportunity to start the tournament with a win. Inter Miami are probably the most accessible team in the group. Palmeiras are on another level, but we’re ready.”
Taher is the latest player to join Ahly’s growing injury list.
The club announced on Wednesday that the 28-year-old would miss the next two matches due to a muscle strain.
He joins classy midfielder Emam Ashour, who has been ruled out for the rest of the tournament with a fractured clavicle, while left-back Ahmed "Koka" Nabil is also sidelined with a muscle injury.
Despite these setbacks, coach José Riveiro has a deep squad and is expected to field a line-up similar to the one that started against Inter Miami.
That group showed promise but lacked clinical finishing in the final third.
Defensive concerns also persist, especially after the second-half performance against Miami. Goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawi was forced into several key saves to preserve the clean sheet.
Palmeiras impressive but cautious
Palmeiras arrive in New Jersey with momentum and ambition.
Their performance against Porto drew praise from pundits, with many considering the Portuguese side fortunate to escape with a point.
Coached by Abel Ferreira, the Brazilian champions possess experience and talent, including playmaker Raphael Veiga, defender Gustavo Gómez, and rising star Estêvão, who is set to join Chelsea for $37 million after the tournament.
Despite their strong squad, Palmeiras are taking nothing for granted.
“Ahly may not be a European team, but this match will be as tough as the one against Porto,” said goalkeeper Weverton.
“We had no advantage against Porto, and now being labelled as favorites doesn’t mean anything. Only the effort on the pitch matters.”
Veiga echoed the sentiment: “It won’t be an easy match. Ahly are strong and have several internationals. We expect a real battle.”
Find more details on group standings, match schedules, and competition statistics.
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