With this expanded Club World Cup and the potential for a 48-team event, asreported by Matt Hughesin The Guardian, it’s clear that club events are on the way up. Yes, the World Cup World Cup (the traditional one) also is expanding, but has the club game blown past the international game, and is that a good thing?
Now up is French Montana, the outspoken critic of US immigration policies mentioned in Barney Ronay’s story about the political backdrop of this event.
He’s probablynotlip-syncing, given the fact that he just said one of the words George Carlin said you can’t say on television. (Or someone forgot to listen to it before playing it. Or people just don’t care about that any more.)
What I’m basically saying here is that there’s no way this game starts at 8 p.m. Eastern.
I have no idea who’s performing in this pregame show, but it’s several levels of excellence ahead of any recent Super Bowl halftime show.I don’t think the “trombone players” are fooling anyone, though. They were “playing” for several seconds before any brass instruments were heard.
The entire field is covered with what looks like a thin stage. Are we sure this is where they’re playing the game? Or is this a Taylor Swift concert?
Hey … look who’s here …
Formations, schnormations …
Fifa and TBS/DAZN disagree on how these teams will line up. ESPN disagreeseven more. They have Al Ahly in a 4-3-2-1, the old “Christmas tree” formation, and they say Inter will play in a 4-2-3-1 with Suarez as the lone forward. MLSSoccer.comagrees, but they switch a couple of Al Ahly’s players.
GK: 18 Oscar Ustari - Aging Argentinian claimed starting spot this year
D: 6 Tomas Aviles - Also from Argentina, but barely half Ustari’s age
D: 17 Ian Fray - Homegrown Miami player
D: 32 Noah Allen - Homegrown player, though he switched his nationality to GreeceD: 37 Maximiliano Falcon - Uruguayan joined Miami this yearM: 5 Sergio Busquets - Yes,thatBusquetsM: 8 Telasco Segovia - Venezuelan new to clubM: 55 Federico Redondo - No, notthatRedondo. He’s Fernando’s son and an Argentine youth internationalF: 9 Luis Suarez - Yes,thatLuis SuarezF: 10Lionel Messi- Yes,thatMessiF: 21 Tadeo Allende - Argentina player on loan from Spain’s Celta de Vigo
Fifa says 4-3-3. TBS says two forwards.
TheAl Ahlyside are overwhelmingly domestic. A few players from Morocco dot the roster, and they have Slovenian Nejc Gradišar on the bench.
One familiar name is Trézéguet – no, not David. It’s actually a Brazilian-style nickname for an Egyptian player Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan. He spent a few years with Aston Villa before a spell in Turkey and a return back to the club with which he started.
US fans who recall the 1998 World Cup should look away for a moment …
…
…
… ready?
TheFifa site saysAl Ahly will line up in a 3-6-1, the formation that became the subject of much consternation after the USA’s ignominious departure from the 1998 Cup.
TBS/DAZN, our US broadcaster for this event, says it’s four at the back.
Starting XI:
GK : 1 Mohamed El Shenawy - long-serving captain starts for Egypt
D: 6 Yasser Ibrahim - 32-year-old has spent entire career in Egypt
D: 15 Achraf Dari - Moroccan player had short spell with Brest in France
D: 30 Mohamed Hany - started for Egypt at right back in last game
M: 5 Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane - Tunisian player; new to club this year
M: 7 Trézéguet - Egyptian national starter
M: 8 Hamdy Fathy - substitute in last Egypt’s last game
M: 13 Marawan Attia - another player who has stayed in Egypt for his whole career so far
M: 22 Emam Ashour - very short spell in Denmark
M: 36 Ahmed Koka - defensive mid in Egypt’s last game
F: 9 Wessam Abou Ali - Danish-born player represents Palestine internationally
If you’ve ever wanted to seeLionel Messitake on EPL opposition in a meaningful game, tonight’s your night.
You did meanEgyptianPremier League, didn’t you?
It’s not just an Egyptian team, of course. It’s Al-Ahly FC, winners of 12 African Champions League tournaments, including four of the last six.
Beau will be here shortly.In the meantimehere’s Barney Ronay’s latest dispatchfrom Miami.