The Egyptian giants cruised through to a last-four meeting with Fluminense with a resounding victory over the hosts’ hopefuls.
The African champions produced a composed and clinical performance in this fiery all-Arab second-round clash, in which Mohamed Elshenawy cemented his legendary status by saving a Karim Benzema penalty.
The opening goal arrived midway through the opening half when Hassan Kadesh inadvertently handled a long ball over the top and a penalty was awarded. Ali Maaloul struck the ball down the middle of the goal as Abdullah Almayouf, playing at the expense of Marcelo Grohe, dived to his left. Ittihad won a spot-kick of their own, with Mohamed Abdelmoneim penalised for handball, just before half-time. Elshenawy, however, flung himself south-east to repel Benzema, the local hopefuls’ star man.
Shortly into the second half, Igor Coronado produced some breathtaking trickery and slipped Faisal Alghamdi in on goal. The latter unleashed a shot but Elshenawy was able to divert it on to the post and then pounce on the loose ball. Then, just before the hour, Hussein Elshahat’s delightful curler doubled the Ahly advantage.
An Al Ittihad comeback already looked unlikely by this stage, and the improbable became all but impossible just three minutes later when Emam Ashour stroked home to cap a slick counter-attack and further extend the Egyptians’ lead.
Ahly did suffer one late blow with a last-minute red card for Anthony Modeste for an elbow on Ahmed Hegazy, with Benzema scrambling home a 92nd-minute consolation – his sixth goal at the Club World Cup – soon after.
But the African champions comfortably survived and, having taken their fans’ acclaim, will now stride forward with confidence to Monday’s meeting with the kings of South America.
