By Reinaldo Oliveros
Dec 14, 2024, 3:46 PM EST
The Mexican Pachuca made history this Saturday by beating the Egyptian Al-Ahly in a dramatic penalty shootout (6-5) after a goalless draw in the 120 regulation minutes.
With this victory, the Tuzos secured their place in the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, where they will measure forces against Real Madrid, one of the most successful teams in world football.
The match was marked by intensity and opportunities in both goals. In the first half, the Egyptians began dominating, highlighting the offensive actions of Taher Mohamed and Hussein El Shahat.
However, Pachuca balanced the actions with the push of Oussama Idrissi, who came close to opening the scoring on several occasions.
In the second half, Colombian Nelson Deossa gave freshness to the Mexican attack, while Salomón Rondón and Borja Gastón They had clear options, but the lack of aim prolonged the suspense until extra time.
During extra time, Al-Ahly missed a golden opportunity with a weak shot from Kahraba, while Rondón missed a header that could have defined the match
The Mexican team will face Real Madrid next Wednesday in the search for a historic title for the club and Concacaf football.
Miraculous penalties for Pachuca
Salomón Rondón and Borja Gastón began by failing in the penalty shootout, but the team managed to rescue the shootout.
Kahraba and Omar Kamal missed the third and fourth penalties for the African team so that Pachuca tied the series again.
In the penalties, Pachuca’s serenity was key. After missing his first two shots, The Tuzos managed to convert six consecutive shots, including those of Cabral, Idrissi, Deossa and Rodríguez.
For its part, Al-Ahly could not maintain its effectiveness, and a shot against the crossbar by Khaled Abdelfattah sealed the Mexican victory.
With this victory, Pachuca will look to cement their place in history by facing Real Madrid in the grand final next Wednesday.
It will be a monumental challenge for the team led by Guillermo Almada, which will seek to demonstrate that Concacaf football can compete at the highest international level.
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