Al Ahly club, invincible champions of Africa, gave it their all against Brazil’s Internacional de Porto Alegre at the Fifa Club World Cup semi-finals yesterday but in the end, samba and South American football dazzle overwhelmed them.
The Egyptian side lost 1-2 to a more talented foe.
Internacional’s Alexandre Pato opened up the score card with a goal in the 23rd minute.
Angolan striker Flavio, star of the previous game against Auckland City FC, equalized in the 54th minute from a Tarek Said a cross into the area. Flavio then headed the ball past Inter goalkeeper Clemer.
But alas the Egyptian net was again shaken in the 72nd minute when Luiz Adriano struck for the Brazilians.
Adriano s near-post header off a Ceara corner kick in the 72nd minute broke a 1-1 deadlock and lifted the South American champions into the final, where they will face the winner of Thursday s semifinal between European champions Barcelona and Mexico s Club America.
The best chance for our reds came when Egyptian champion Mohamed Aboutrika hit the far post in the 44th minute.
The Dec. 10-17 Club World Cup features the top club teams from soccer s six continental confederations.
Al Ahly advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0 win over Auckland City in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
The final is in Yokohama on Dec. 17. Last year, Sao Paulo took the title after upsetting European heavyweight Liverpool 1-0.
Internacional qualified for the Club World Cup by winning the Copa Libertadores in August, when it held defending champion Sao Paulo to a 2-2 draw.
The closing minutes of the game were marred by Internacional’s rather heavy fouling of Ahly players, perhaps in desperate bids to maintain their one-goal lead.
