The Club World Cup began in Morocco on Wednesday evening with a match between Egypt’s Al-Ahly and New Zealand’s Auckland City. Al-Ahly won 3-0 and goes to the quarter-finals.

Before the match, there was an opening show with lights, fireworks and acrobatics at Ibn Battuta Stadium in Tangier.

The first goal of the tournament was scored by Hussein Al-Shahat. Al-Masry put Al-Ahly ahead just before half-time with a long shot. With this blow he ended up in a private company.

He has now scored in three different Club World Cups. Previously only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale succeeded. Al-Shahat scored for Al-Ain in the 2018 edition, and for Al-Ahly in 2020 and 2023.

Ten minutes into the first half, El Shahat’s teammate Mohamed Sherif decided to make the match 2-0. And before the end, South African Percy Tau completed the Egyptian national team’s party with a score of 3-0.

In stoppage time, Auckland’s Adam Mitchell was sent off by Chinese referee Ma Ning, but no more goals were scored.

Al-Ahly will play Seattle Sounders from the United States in the quarter-finals. Real Madrid and Flamengo entered the semi-finals only on February 7 and 8. Real will then play against the winner of the Al-Ahly-Seattle Sounders match, and Flamengo will face Wydad or Al-Hilal.

The final will be held on Saturday 11 February.