Brazilian club Palmeiras secured a 2-0 victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly in their FIFA Club World Cup group stage match on Thursday, a contest that was suspended for approximately 40 minutes due to severe weather at MetLife Stadium.
The Group A encounter was halted by referee Anthony Taylor in the 62nd minute as a potential lightning storm approached the area, despite temperatures having reached 31°C earlier in the game. A message inside the stadium advised supporters to seek shelter before play eventually resumed.
Shortly after the restart, Palmeiras broke the deadlock when a free-kick was headed into his own net by Al Ahly defender Achraf Dari. It was the first goal scored in Group A after more than 250 minutes of combined action across the group’s previous matches. Ten minutes later, Palmeiras substitute Jose Lopez doubled the lead, finishing off a counter-attack to seal the three points.
The Brazilian side had earlier benefited from a significant VAR intervention. Midfielder Raphael Veiga was initially shown a straight red card by referee Taylor for a high and reckless challenge on Al Ahly’s Zizo. However, after being advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, the English Premier League referee downgraded the punishment to a yellow card, stating that the “contact is low on the foot and he [Veiga] does not leave the floor two-footed.”
Despite the defeat, Al Ahly’s Trezeguet, formerly of Aston Villa, was a standout performer, consistently threatening on the left flank. For Palmeiras, highly-touted teenage winger and future Chelsea player Estevão Willian showed flashes of his talent but struggled to consistently impose himself on the game.
The weather was once again a major talking point at the tournament, with players from both teams requiring a cooling break and ice packs in the first half due to the heat, before the unexpected storm caused the lengthy suspension.
The victory moves Palmeiras to the top of Group A with four points from two matches, placing them in a strong position to advance to the knockout phase. In the final round of group fixtures on Monday, Palmeiras will travel to Florida to face Inter Miami, while Al Ahly will remain in New Jersey to play against FC Porto.
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