Wessam Abou Ali gave Al Ahly the lead going into the break before further goals from Emam Ashour and Mohamed Afsha secured the win for the 2023–۲۴ CAF Champions League winners.
Marcel Koller’s team will now move into the FIFA Challenger Cup, to play Pachuca or the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores winners with the victors taking on Spanish outfit Real Madrid four days later for the right to be crowned world champions.
Al Ahly dominated from the outset at Cairo International Stadium and went ahead after 32 minutes. Yahia Nader casually attempted to play the ball back to his goalkeeper, without noticing the lurking Abou Ali, who stabbed it past Khalid Eisa.
Ashour employed exquisite technique to volley home the second after the break.
Al Ain head coach Hernan Crespo reacted by sending on Matias Segovia. Despite the best efforts of the 21-year-old Paraguayan, the AFC Champions League™ ۲۰۲۳/۲۴ winners struggled to create any meaningful chances against a defence marshalled masterfully by Rami Rabia, and they were hit on the break late on.
Omar Kamal burst into the Emiratis’ box and was felled, and Mohamed Afsha slammed home the resulting penalty to keep Al Ahly’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup dream alive.
