Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly will face Real Madrid in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals after edging a tight duel with debutants Seattle Sounders.
Mohamed Afsha’s deflected effort two minutes from time settled an evenly-matched quarter-final in which defences were on top, with only one shot on target prior to the Egypt international’s late winner.
While Sounders performed creditably throughout, the threat of Afsha had been growing as the second half wore on. The lively attacker, who already has two bronze medals at this competition to his name, had shot narrowly wide as Al Ahly – backed by a noisy support – pushed for a winner.
Then, with two minutes remaining, Afhsa picked the ball up 20 yards from goal and curled a right-foot shot against the face of the crossbar.
The Sounders thought disaster had been averted but, in failing to properly clear, they allowed the Ahly star a second shot at goal. And while Afsha’s second effort looked to be drifting harmlessly into the the gloves of Stefan Frei, a deflection off Alex Roldan wrong-footed the keeper and consigned the Americans to a cruel defeat in Morocco.
Al Ahly have won their last three FIFA Club World Cup matches without conceding a single goal, scoring eight times without reply. In their last five matches at the global showpiece, the Egyptians have accrued an impressive haul of four clean sheets.
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