Al Ahli Advances to the Second Round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup
Defeating Auckland 1-0 with a goal by Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Al Ahli became the opponent of South African team Mamelodi Sundowns in the second round of the tournament.
In the first-round match of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, Saudi Arabian team Al Ahli defeated Oceania representative Auckland by a single goal to advance to the next round.
Qualification Secured by a Single Goal
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League champion Al Ahli faced Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Professional League champion Auckland in the first round. Played at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Al Ahli won the match 1-0 to advance.
Saleh Abu Al-Shamat scored the winning goal for Al Ahli in the 63rd minute. National football player Merih Demiral also took the field wearing the Al Ahli jersey in the match.
Auckland Reduced to 10 Men and the New Opponent
In the Auckland team, Sam Cosgrove was shown a red card in the 87th minute of the match and was sent off. Protecting the score in the remaining minutes, Al Ahli managed to advance to the second round.
Following this victory, Al Ahli was matched against the South African representative Mamelodi Sundowns, the champion of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League, in the second round.