United States Seattle Sounders fell to Egyptian Al Ahly as the MLS club make history but was cruelly defeated at FIFA Club World Cup
The Seattle Sounders made history as the first Major League Soccer club to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup, but that is all they will be able to take home with them from Morocco as they were cruelly beaten by Al Ahly 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
The MLS club dominated possession for long stretches of the match, but failed to produce the moment of quality in front of net needed to strike. Playing in their first match of the season, nearly a month before the MLS season begins, there was a clear lack of sharpness and fitness, as one might expect.
The match was a largely tepid affair as the Sounders looked like a team a little wary to show their preseason form. While the Sounders didn’t tire down the stretch, they didn’t look crisp enough to break down Al Ahly, who they outshot 12-9.
The only shot that mattered, though, came in the 88th minute. After seeing the ball strike the crossbar just seconds earlier, Al Ahly’s Mohamed Magdy fired a shot, only to see it deflect off of Alex Roldan and past Stefan Frei for the game’s lone goal.
The prize to this quarterfinal match was large, as Al Ahly now advance to a semifinal date with European giants Real Madrid, in the competition as the defending Champions League winners.