CLUB WORLD CUP
Brazil’s Palmeiras Defeat Al Ahly 2-0 in Storm-Interrupted Clash
Palmeiras tightened their grip on Group A at the FIFA Club World Cup with a clinical 2-0 victory over Egypt’s Al Ahly, capitalising on second-half errors in a contest disrupted by dramatic weather, VAR intervention, and a near hour-long lightning delay.
The Brazilian giants, coached by the experienced Abel Ferreira, now sit atop the group with four points and need only a draw against Inter Miami in their final match to secure a quarter-final spot. Al Ahly, by contrast, must defeat Porto on Tuesday and hope other results go their way to stay alive in the competition.
The match opened with promise for the Egyptians, who began brightly under a rumbling New Jersey sky. Trezeguet and Attiyat Allah whipped in dangerous crosses early on, while defender Yasser Ibrahim denied teenage sensation Estêvão with a crucial block after the Chelsea-bound winger weaved through the defence.
Palmeiras were largely conservative in the first half, absorbing pressure and launching quick counterattacks. Estêvão came close to scoring with a dazzling solo run, narrowly missing the target.
The first flashpoint arrived ten minutes before the break when Raphael Veiga, celebrating his birthday, was shown a straight red card by English referee Anthony Taylor for a high tackle on Zizo. However, a VAR review downgraded the punishment to a yellow, much to Al Ahly’s frustration.
Ferreira reshuffled his pack at the interval, bringing on José “Flaco” López and Mauricio—and the changes paid off almost immediately. Four minutes into the second half, a teasing free-kick from Aníbal Moreno was inadvertently glanced into his own net by Al Ahly striker Wissam Abou Ali, who had tracked back to defend.
The North African side barely had time to recover before they conceded again. A swift Palmeiras counterattack saw left-back Joaquín Piquerez break free and square for López, who made no mistake with a cool finish into the far corner to double the lead in the 59th minute.
Moments later, lightning strikes in the area forced officials to suspend the match for 55 minutes, offering Al Ahly an unexpected reprieve.
Manager Jose Riveiro introduced Ashraf Bencharki, Ahmed Ramadan and Afsha in a desperate bid to claw back into the game. Bencharki came closest to scoring, testing Weverton with a stinging drive and later heading wide when unmarked.
Palmeiras, chasing a ninth clean sheet in 12 matches, held firm with commanding displays from centre-backs Gustavo Gómez and Murilo. El Shenawy, Al Ahly’s captain, prevented a heavier defeat with a superb save from Moreno’s free-kick, while Paulinho squandered a late chance to make it 3-0.
With Palmeiras now two points ahead of both Porto and Inter Miami—who face off later tonight—the Brazilian champions are in pole position. Meanwhile, Al Ahly remain rooted at the bottom with just one point and no goals scored from two matches on American soil.
For the thousands of African fans who lit up Times Square in red earlier this week, the path is clear but steep: beat Porto and hope Palmeiras complete the job against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.
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Controversy has erupted following Chelsea’s dramatic victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup final, with reports suggesting that the trophy presented to the English club is a replica – and that the original remains in the possession of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Blues clinched the inaugural edition of the revamped tournament at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 13, with captain Reece James receiving the silverware from Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
However, social media and the international press have been ablaze with claims that the trophy lifted during the celebrations was not the authentic one.
Videos from the post-match ceremony showed Trump lingering on the podium well after the presentation, standing beside James as he hoisted the trophy. This unusual move immediately drew attention.
Now, the intrigue has deepened following Trump’s own remarks in an interview with sports broadcaster DAZN, in which he admitted that the original trophy was currently “in his office at the White House.”
According to sources, Infantino unveiled the redesigned Club World Cup trophy at the White House shortly after Trump returned to office earlier this year, following his election win over Kamala Harris.
It now appears that the original trophy never left the presidential residence, prompting FIFA to commission a replica for the ceremony in New Jersey.
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump was also seen pocketing one of the winner’s medals during the event.
Infantino had handed him a medal, presumably for inspection, but the U.S. President was later spotted slipping it inside his blazer.
This led to online jokes among fans, with some suggesting he had taken the medal intended for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, who left the squad just before the final to complete a surprise move to Arsenal.
Madueke was reportedly seen partying with Jadon Sancho at the Wireless Festival in London while Chelsea celebrated across the Atlantic.
The incident has cast an odd shadow over what was otherwise a historic moment for Chelsea, marking their first triumph under the new Club World Cup format.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to take place in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and the final returning to MetLife Stadium, questions may linger over the relationship between football’s global leadership and its most controversial political host.
FIFA has yet to comment officially on the trophy replica claims.
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U.S. President Donald Trump paid homage to soccer great Pele after being met with boos and cheers from the crowd at the Club World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Chelsea walloped Paris St Germain 3-0 to close out the newly expanded version of the tournament, designed as a glittering curtain-raiser for the 2026 World Cup that the U.S. will co-host with Mexico and Canada.
Trump was seated next to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino in box seats at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where fans booed him when he appeared briefly on the jumbotron during the U.S. national anthem.
He was on his feet in the same VIP suite after Chelsea completed their thrashing of Paris St Germain, pumping his fist as congratulatory music blared.
Trump was met with boos from the crowd again as he posed with the match referees on the pitch during the trophy ceremony, as organisers kept the music pumping in the stadium.
He handed Chelsea their trophy and stood in the middle of the players for their team photo and celebration.
“I knew he was going to be there but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy so I was a bit confused,” said Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer, who scored two goals during the match.
Asked in a TV interview who he believed was soccer’s “GOAT,” Trump named Brazilian icon Pele, who helped spark interest in the sport in the U.S. in his brief time playing for the New York Cosmos in the fledgling North American Soccer League in 1975.
“I came to watch Pele, and he was fantastic,” Trump told broadcaster DAZN. “That’s like saying Babe Ruth, but I would say Pele was so great.”
Trump has embraced sport’s super-sized spotlight during his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl in February.
In May, he announced D.C. as the host for the 2027 NFL Draft from the Oval Office. He regularly attends UFC and has said he wants to host such fights at the White House next year.
FIFA announced last week that it had opened an office in New York’s Trump Tower ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico. A record 48 national teams are set to take part.
Trump’s appearance at MetLife came a day after he threatened to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union, an escalation of a trade war that has angered U.S. allies and rattled investors.
-Reuters
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Cole Palmer produced a scintillating first-half masterclass as Chelsea demolished Paris St Germain 3-0 to win the Club World Cup final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The English attacking midfielder scored twice and provided an assist for Joao Pedro in a devastating display in the revamped tournament’s decider that left the European and French champions, who finished with 10 men, shell-shocked before the break.
Chelsea struck first in the 22nd minute when PSG fullback Nuno Mendes gifted possession to Malo Gusto. While his initial effort was blocked by Mendes, Gusto collected the rebound and found Palmer unmarked in the middle and the midfielder made no mistake, slotting a tidy finish just inside the left post.
Palmer doubled the lead after the 30th-minute cooling break with a goal of sublime quality. Latching onto a precise through ball from Levi Colwill, he cut inside before faking a pass to dummy a defender and firing into the bottom-left corner.
Palmer then turned provider, running up the channel before finding Joao Pedro, who took the ball in his stride and beat the offside trap before chipping his finish beautifully over keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
PSG’s misery was completed when Joao Neves was sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair in the 83rd minute.
-Reuters
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