In a thrilling match at the King Abdullah Sports City, Fernando Diniz’s Fluminense secured a 2-0 victory over Al Ahly, keeping alive hopes of becoming the first Brazilian club in over a decade to win the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC).
This historic win marks Fluminense’s first-ever progression to the competition’s final.
The first half unfolded as a frantic exchange of opportunities, dispelling any doubts about teams not taking the CWC seriously. Fluminense, led by Jhon Arias, faced two strokes of misfortune as the woodwork denied his impressive strikes.
Despite these close calls, Al Ahly demonstrated their prowess, with Kahraba missing a crucial header and Hussein El Shahat facing resilient defense.
The tightly contested match saw the breakthrough in the second half when Marcelo was brought down in the penalty area by Percy Tau. Jhon Arias confidently converted the penalty, giving Fluminense the lead. Al Ahly’s missed chances, including Tau’s tame header and Fábio’s save from Taher Mohamed, spared Fluminense from potential elimination.
In added time, substitute John Kennedy sealed the victory for Fluminense with a second goal. The result leaves Al Ahly disappointed, as they have been knocked out at the semi-final stage in each of the last four editions of the CWC. Fluminense now looks forward to competing in the final on Friday.
