Real Madrid already has a rival for the final of the Intercontinental Cup next Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at the Lusail Stadium. Pachuca beat Al-Ahly in the semifinals this Saturday in an incredible penalty shootout (6-5) after a 0-0 score during the 120 minutes of the match. The Mexicans were down by two penalties and managed to turn the score around thanks to the saves of their goalkeeper, Carlos Moreno. Pachuca, who qualified after winning the CONCACAF Cup, eliminated Brazilian Botafogo (0-3), recent champion of the Copa Libertadores, this Wednesday.
In a match where football was conspicuous by its absence, the Egyptian team began to dominate, but the Mexicans immediately began to step into the rival area. Former Sevilla player Idrissi and former Málaga player Salomón Rondón were in charge of leading the Mexican attack, but without much success in front of goal. With both teams unsuccessful, the game went to penalties after extra time.
In the shootout, everything indicated that Al-Ahly was going to win the match. Rondón and the Spanish Borja Bastón failed in the first two penalties of the Mexicans. The Egyptians did get it right, but Moreno, the hero of Pachuca, immediately appeared. After the two missed attempts, the team from central Mexico scored all of their penalties and the goalkeeper saved Al-Ahly’s fourth, fifth and sixth penalties.
After learning two weeks ago that Pachuca will be Real Madrid’s rival in the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, the Mexicans will face Ancelotti’s men this Wednesday in Lusail in the dispute for a title in one match.
