By Mohamed Islam Bouteraa

On a storm-swept night at MetLife Stadium, Palmeiras turned chaos into control—clinching a 2-0 win over Al Ahly that blended Brazilian flair with a dash of fortune. An own goal broke the deadlock, José López buried redemption, and the Verdão now sit atop Group A, one step from the knockouts.

First Half: Chess Match & VAR Drama

The tension was thicker than New Jersey humidity. With both sides scoreless in their openers, caution ruled. Al Ahly pressed but fizzled in the final third, while Palmeiras leaned on 17-year-old sparkplug Estêvão—his darting run and near-post flick the half’s only real threat.Then, explosion: Raphael Veiga saw red for a high boot in the 40th minute... until VAR intervened, downgrading it to yellow. Palmeiras exhaled; Veiga was hooked at halftime anyway. "A heart attack turned sigh of relief," one fan radioed.

The Breakthrough: Own Goal & Lightning Strikes

Four minutes after the restart—disaster for Al Ahly. Aníbal Moreno’s whipped free-kick sparked panic in the box, and Wessam Abou Ali’s desperate header looped past his own keeper. The curse was broken: Group A’s first goal came off an Egyptian forehead.

Palmeiras smelled blood. Ten minutes later, sub José López—fresh from skying a sitter—raced onto a counter, coolly slotting home with his left foot. 2-0. Cue pandemonium in the green-and-white corner.Then... nature’s plot twist. Lightning lit up East Rutherford, forcing a 48-minute delay. Fans scrambled for cover; players vanished down the tunnel. When they returned, Al Ahly’s spirit was drenched.

Clean Sheet Kings Strike Again

Palmeiras’ wall held firm. Weverton barely broke sweat—recording their 9th clean sheet in 12 games—while Al Ahly’s attack fired blanks for the second straight match. 

The Egyptians haven’t scored in 180 tournament minutes.

What This Means

• Palmeiras: A point vs. Messi’s Inter Miami sends them through.
• Al Ahly: Must beat Porto and pray for miracles to survive.

Post-match, López grinned: "Football gives you second chances. I took mine."

The Final Whistle

Palmeiras didn’t just win—they survived a red-card scare, a weather war, and Al Ahly’s early pressure. With gritty defense and ruthless counters, they proved tournament steel isn’t always shiny. Sometimes, it’s muddy, lucky, and crowned by an own goal.

Group A’s fate?

🔒 Palmeiras hold the keys.

🌧️ Al Ahly are underwater.

Next:

⚔️ Palmeiras vs. Inter Miami (Saturday)

🔥 Al Ahly vs. Porto (Do-or-die)

Sometimes, you don’t need fireworks—just lightning strikes and a slice of luck. ⚡