In a spectacular and chaotic finale to their Club World Cup campaigns, FC Porto and Al Ahly played out a thrilling 4-4 draw in East Rutherford on Monday night. Veteran defender Pepe rescued a point for the Portuguese side with an 89th-minute equaliser, capping an end-to-end clash that saw both clubs exchange goals throughout the contest. Despite the excitement, neither team will progress beyond the group stage, finishing with two points apiece behind Palmeiras and Inter Miami.
The match was lit up by a hat-trick from Wessam Abou Ali, who opened the scoring for Al Ahly with a clinical finish from a tight angle, then doubled the Egyptian club’s lead with a composed penalty just before halftime.
He completed his treble in the second half with a powerful header from a Mohamed Hany cross, continuing to torment Porto’s defence. Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane added a fourth for Al Ahly, rifling home from outside the box after good link-up play with Achraf Bencharki.
Porto, however, responded doggedly each time. Goals from Rodrigo Mora, William Gomes, and Samu Aghehowa kept them in contention. Aghehowa’s header from a Fabio Vieira corner drew Porto level for the third time, setting the stage for Pepe’s dramatic final act. Receiving a pass from Gabri Veiga just outside the penalty area, the 41-year-old smashed home the equaliser to ensure both teams would share the spoils.
Despite the entertaining nature of the match, the result means both clubs are eliminated. Palmeiras and Inter Miami, who drew 2-2 in the other group match, finished with five points each and advanced to the knockout stage. Al Ahly finish bottom of the group on goal difference, while Porto’s spirited performance still wasn’t enough to secure a single win in the competition.
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