Palmeiras claimed an early advantage in Group A of the Club World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Al Ahly on Thursday in New Jersey.
The match at MetLife Stadium was interrupted in the 63rd minute due to a severe weather warning, prompting players and fans to seek shelter as a storm approached.
At the time of the suspension, Palmeiras led thanks to an own goal by Al Ahly’s Wessam Abou Ali in the 49th minute, followed by a composed finish from Flaco Lopez 10 minutes later.
The win places Palmeiras at the top of the group with four points, while the other three teams—Inter Miami, Porto, and Al Ahly—remain level on one point each. Inter Miami, featuring Lionel Messi, is scheduled to face Porto later in the group’s other fixture, following two goalless draws in the tournament’s opening round.
This marked the third match in the tournament to be affected by adverse weather. Earlier, the Mamelodi Sundowns versus Ulsan Hyundai game was delayed for over an hour due to a weather alert, while RB Salzburg’s match against Pachuca was halted for 97 minutes because of a storm.
Palmeiras, inspired by the talented youngster Estevao Willian—who is poised for a move to Chelsea—played well but were held to a draw by Porto in their opening game. Al Ahly managed to keep the Brazilians in check during a tight first half, which saw a red card initially issued to Palmeiras midfielder Raphael Veiga overturned after a VAR review.
The own goal by Abou Ali stemmed from a free kick by Anibal Moreno, handing Palmeiras the lead. Lopez then calmly finished after a clever pass from Mauricio to double the advantage.
After the weather delay of approximately 45 minutes, Palmeiras comfortably managed the rest of the game without risking their lead.
South American teams have so far shown strong form in the tournament, benefiting from their mid-season fitness and remaining unbeaten.
