CLUB WORLD CUP
Al Ahly win six-goal thriller to grab Club World Cup bronze for the fourth time
A six-goal thriller saw African champions Al Ahly dramatically defeat Japan’s Urawa Reds 4-2 to secure the bronze medal at the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Once again that fighting determination of the Egyptian giants came to the fore to help them clinch bronze in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.
In an end-to-end playoff clash, goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Percy Tau put Ahly in control before Jose Kante’s curling strike brought Urawa back into it.
Alexander Scholz levelled from the penalty spot early in the second half after VAR adjudged Mohamed Hany handled in the box to put the Egyptian giants on the ropes.
But Hany remarkably went from villain to hero in the space of six minutes, firing Ahly back in front via a huge deflection off Yoshio Koizumi.
Ali Maaloul then wrapped up the bronze deep into stoppage time, curling home a delightful last-gasp free-kick to spark jubilant celebrations.
Having suffered semi-final heartbreak against Fluminense, Ahly looked doomed after Scholz’s penalty hauled Urawa level at 2-2.
But in a speedy contest befitting their rollercoaster run to the third-place playoff, the Egyptian side emerged triumphant.
After the despair of falling short in the semis, this is a sweet consolation for Ahly’s decorated veterans like Hany and Maaloul.
They can now return home with heads held high after a heroic comeback secured the club a record-extending fourth Club World Cup bronze medal.
-CAF
Club Leon will be removed from the Club World Cup in the United States later this year as it and another Mexican club in the tournament, CF Pachuca, failed to meet criteria on multi-club ownership, world soccer’s governing body said on Friday.
Both Leon and Pachuca are owned by Grupo Pachuca. Leon had qualified after winning the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2023 while Pachuca won the competition last year.
However, Costa Rican side Liga Deportiva Alajuelense filed a complaint with FIFA in November based on the “eligibility principles” of the competition, requesting the right to participate in the Club World Cup.
Disciplinary proceedings were opened by FIFA against both Mexican clubs and the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee referred the case to the FIFA Appeal Committee.
“After having evaluated all evidence on file, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee has decided that CF Pachuca and Club Leon failed to meet the criteria on multi-club ownership,” FIFA said in a statement.
“…FIFA has determined that Club Leon will be removed from the competition, with the club to be admitted as a replacement to be announced in due course.”
FIFA did not state the exact multi-club ownership criteria the Mexican clubs had failed to meet.
The competition’s regulations include many stipulations regarding ownership such as that no club in the competition can be involved in any capacity in the management, administration or sporting performance of any other club or hold shares or securities in any other club.
Alajuelense, who are 30-times champions of the Costa Rican top flight and won the Central American Cup in 2023, felt they should be allowed to take part instead.
The Costa Rican club said last month that they had gone to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after FIFA failed to act on their complaint, requesting a ruling no later than a month before the start of the tournament.
A lot is at stake in the inaugural edition of the expanded 32-team competition, with FIFA saying the prize money on offer will be $1 billion.
Pachuca’s spot at the June 14-July 13 competition was unaffected and the club said they had not been informed of the reasons for the decision.
Leon said they disagreed with FIFA’s decision and would appeal in the sport’s highest courts if they were denied a place at the Club World Cup.
“In the last few months we have presented all the evidence and documents confirming that Club Leon manages itself in an autonomous manner in all economic, administrative and sporting aspects,” it said.
Leon were drawn in Group D alongside Premier League side Chelsea, Brazil’s Flamengo and Tunisian side Esperance. They were due to play their first match against Chelsea on June 16 in Atlanta.
-Reuters
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At least 147 African players will take part in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup this summer in the United States, as announced by Gianni Infantino.
The new Club World Cup will be held from June 14 to July 13, 2025, in the United States, and Africa will be represented by four teams: Wydad Casablanca, Al Ahly (Egypt), Esperance Tunis (Tunisia), and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa).
A total of 147 African players will compete in the competition, as announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, while attending the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo.
These 147 players will be distributed among 16 of the 32 participating teams, from five continents. The manager adds that 22 African countries will be represented at this global event.
Al Ahly are taking part in their 10th World Cup, while Esperance are participating in the competition for the 4th time, WAC will be playing in their 3rd World Cup, while this is Sundowns’ 2nd appearance.
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The prize money for this year’s 32-team Club World Cup to be held in the U.S. between June 14-July 13 will be $1 billion, soccer’s governing body FIFA said on Wednesday.
With $2 billion expected in revenues, FIFA reserves will remain untouched and some of the money generated will also be dedicated to club football around the world, FIFA president Gianni Infantino added in a statement.
“FIFA will not keep a single dollar,” he said.
-Reuters
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