Palmeiras Defeats Al Ahly 2-0 Despite Weather Delay

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Brazil’s Palmeiras secured a 2-0 victory over Egypt’s Al Ahly in their Group A match of the FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium on June 19, 2025. The game was interrupted for 50 minutes due to severe weather concerns.

The scoring began in the 49th minute when Al Ahly’s defender Wessam Abou Ali inadvertently headed the ball into his own net while attempting to defend a free kick taken by Anibal Moreno. This own goal marked the first goal in Group A after a combined 257 minutes of play without scoring.

Just ten minutes later, Palmeiras doubled their lead with a quick counter-attack that ended in a left-footed shot from substitute José Manuel Lopez, who had just entered the game at halftime.

Following Lopez’s goal, English referee Anthony Taylor halted the match for a weather-related timeout, advising spectators to seek shelter within the stadium. After 30 minutes, the conditions improved, allowing the game to resume with Palmeiras enjoying momentum.

Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira commented on the effect of the weather break: “It favors the team that is leading when you have a break like that. They were a difficult opponent but we kept our focus.”

Al Ahly coach José Riveiro focused on his team’s struggles, stating, “We felt a goal could come for us at any time…But in the second half, we didn’t have that good a half.”

The match commenced at midday in humid conditions reaching 31 degrees Celsius, which made play challenging for both teams. Rafael Veiga of Palmeiras was initially sent off with a red card in the first half, but the decision was reversed to a yellow following a VAR review.

With this victory, Palmeiras stands out in Group A with four points from two matches, positioning themselves well for the knockout stage. Their next match is against Inter Miami in Florida on June 25, while Al Ahly will face Porto in New Jersey.