Al Ahly head coach Jose Riveiro has spoken out following his team's early exit from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after failing to progress to next the stage.
Despite taking the lead three times against Portuguese giants FC Porto, the Egyptian Premier League champions were held to a 4-4 draw at MetLife Stadium.
READ | Riveiro's Al Ahly crash out of Club World Cup
The result saw both Ahly and Porto eliminated from Group A, each finishing with just two points. Brazilian side Palmeiras and Inter Miami advanced to the knockout stages with five points each, topping the group in first and second place, respectively.
The Red Devils began their campaign with a goalless draw against Lionel Messi's Miami, followed by a 2-0 defeat to Palmeiras in their second group-stage match.
Although his team lost the game, Riveiro praised his players and the club’s loyal supporters, commending them for their spirited performance against Porto.
"We tried to control the game against Porto, and we had many opportunities that were enough to decide the match in our favour," Riveiro said after the match, per Mobtada.com.
"Overall, both teams were exposed to extreme fatigue after the great effort the players made during the match."
"The attendance was amazing. I felt that Al Ahly was playing the match as if it were in Cairo due to the large crowd attendance."
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The Cairo-based outfit became the second African team to bow out of the competition, following the elimination of Moroccan side Wydad Athletic Club, who still have one game to play.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis still have a chance to reach the Round of 16. Sundowns will face Fluminense, while Esperance take on Chelsea in their final group matches.
