Lionel Messi denied late winner in Club World Cup opener

MIAMI – Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano was upbeat despite his Lionel Messi-led team drawing 0-0 with Egyptian side Al Ahly on June 14, as Fifa’s new 32-team Club World Cup got off to a smooth start in front of 60,927 fans in Florida.

Messi was denied a storybook stoppage-time winner when he saw his curling shot from 20 yards out tipped on to the bar by Mohamed El Shenawy as Miami piled on the pressure in the final minutes of the game.

“The truth is we leave with the feeling that we could have won it in the second half,” said Mascherano.

“Going forward we have to do what we did in the second half, not have any fear, shed whatever baggage we had because when we play like that, we can play even with any team.”

Al Ahly, who were cheered on by over 10,000 of their supporters, were left to rue a first-half penalty from Egypt international Trezeguet which was saved by Miami’s Argentine keeper Oscar Ustari.

But the Egyptians also had El Shenawy to thank for another fine save in the dying seconds to keep out a header from Maxi Falcon as Miami pushed for three points in the Group A clash.

For organisers Fifa, who have faced heavy skepticism over the necessity for the tournament, the absence of a goal was the only disappointment on a night that delivered everything else that their president Gianni Infantino had hoped for from the opening night.

Fears of a low crowd for the opener eased as the seats in the 64,000 venue began to fill up with the stadium almost full at kick-off time.

Thousands of fans of Al Ahly, record 12 times African Champions League winner and 45-time league champions of Egypt, arrived at Hard Rock Stadium