EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — It only took four hours for MetLife Stadium to see a goal at the Club World Cup.
Brazilian outfit Palmeiras became the first team to find the net at the East Rutherford venue as they triumphed 2-0 over Egyptian side Al Ahly in a Group A clash severely interrupted by weather on Thursday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon’s game had threatened to follow in the footsteps of previous goalless encounters at the East Rutherford venue between Palmeiras and Porto and Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund after a drab opening period, but the Brazilian Serie A side finally opened the scoring five minutes into the second half when Wessem Abou Ali put through his own net.
That goal marked the first Club World Cup goal at the stadium after over 230 minutes of action so far.
Influential Palmeiras substitute Jose Manuel Lopez doubled his side’s lead on 59 minutes with the game’s first shot on target before the game was temporarily suspended due to thunder in the vicinity.
The threatened storms never materialized and made for an unusual final half-hour as both sides struggled to get up to match speed once again, with Palmerias comfortably holding on to go top of Group A ahead of Inter Miami’s clash with Porto later today.
Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira said his side played better in the 0-0 draw against Porto on Sunday but praised his players for improving after the break. Ferreira also said his players felt the impact of the intense heat on Thursday, with temperatures increasing significantly since Sunday’s draw with Porto.
Al Ahly manager Jose Riveiro said his team had the better of the opening half but admitted that the Egyptian side failed to maintain that intensity in the second half. Riveiro credited Palmeiras for “not forgiving” Al Ahly’s drop in intensity after the interval.
In the searing heat of MetLife Stadium on this Juneteenth afternoon, Palmeiras and Al-Ahly produced a first half that failed to spark.
Neither side produced a shot on target in a dreary opening half that produced two times as many fouls as shots on goal.
Chelsea-bound Estevao Willian, named man of the match in Palmeiras’ opening game against Porto on Sunday, struggled to get into the game on Thursday but did have the best moment of the first half when he picked up the ball on the right wing, skinned Yasser Ibrahim and dragged an effort narrowly wide of the post.
That was about as good as it got in an insipid opening period whose defining moment came on 37 minutes when referee Anthony Taylor sent off Palmeiras midfielder Raphael Veiga for a strong challenge on Zizo. Taylor later reversed the decision after a lengthy VAR review, stating that Veiga made contact “low on the foot” and “did not leave the floor with two feet.”
The half was also notable for hosting the first “hydration break” at MetLife Stadium since the tournament began as temperatures soared into the high 80s.
Palmeiras was much improved in the second half, largely thanks to the introduction of Lopez and Mauricio as half-time substitutes.
Lopez should have opened the scoring within two minutes but failed to add a touch to Joaquin Piquerez’s wicked left-wing delivery.
Three minutes later, however, Palmeiras was in front when Abou Ali flicked a Aníbal Moreno freekick into his own net. It was rather fitting that the opening goal of the Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium came via an own goal from a set piece rather than through any great attacking sequence, given the dearth of attacking quality on display at the stadium so far.
That goal seemed to unleash the Brazilian side, and it did not take them long to double their lead when Mauricio sent his fellow half-time substitute Lopez in on goal with a sublime through ball just shy of the hour mark. The striker shrugged off Mohamed Hany’s attention and finished coolly beyond Mohamed El Shenawy.
That was to prove the last action for at least an hour, as both sets of players were hauled off due to severe thunderstorm warnings in the area.
Skies remained blue throughout the hour-long delay, but Palmeiras fans, buoyed by their two-goal lead, were not to be deterred and chanted incessantly in the MetLife concourses throughout the hour-long delay as all 35,179 supporters were ushered out of their seats.
Palmeiras fans remained in full voice when the action eventually resumed, cheering on as the Brazilian side comfortably saw out victory.
