The Club World Cup began with Óscar Ustari as the unexpected hero for Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, who nearly beat Al Ahly at the end.

The Club World Cup has begun in the United States, but Inter Miami 's debut at Hard Rock Stadium against Egyptian side Al Ahly felt like it was played in the desert. That's how lonely Lionel Messi must feel at times, in a team that sometimes lacks hierarchy and at other times lacks legwork, with the sole exception of the Argentine number 10.

It's been seen frequently in the MLS since the arrival of Javier Mascherano and was quickly exposed against a limited but serious rival like this multi-time African champion. This time, Oscar Ustari saved the day, with more work than the workers who built the pyramids. It was a 0-0 draw that ended up being fair . And at the end, a miracle almost happened , because the Egyptian goalkeeper made two brilliant saves, one of them against a moment of genius from Rosario's "Pulga."

The first half was a reality check for everyone, as Messi took a while to get going and Al Ahly took over with their more aggressive players: Trézéguet , more energetic; Zizo , more clear-headed; and Abou Alí , the number 9, too erratic.

Masche's plan for an attacking, central 4-4-2 formation backfired . The midfield, with Sergio Busquets and Federico Redondo as the double five, and Telasco Segovia and Tadeo Allende on the flanks, was subdued by the approach of Spanish coach José Riveiro , who pushed his lines forward knowing that this version of Luis Suárez allowed him to take risks.

Until Messi appeared . In the 14th minute, he tried a free kick, from too far out, realizing that he was having trouble creating partnerships to reach El Shenawy 's goal. A little while earlier, in the 10th minute, the crowd gave him a standing ovation: Inter fans, but also Al Ahly fans, the majority and much louder among the nearly 61,000 spectators informed by the stadium voice .

Ustari, at almost 39 (his birthday is in July), rescued Inter from what could have been a huge embarrassment and disappointment. The former goalkeeper for the Argentine national team, Independiente, and Boca Juniors delivered a performance worthy of his underappreciated career in the eyes of the world.

In that first half of turmoil, he blocked a one-on-one and then produced an impossible header , but the play of the night was the penalty he saved from Trézéguet , after a dubious hold by Telasco that briefly dismissed suspicions of lenient refereeing in favor of the home side. Then, referee Alireza Faghani ignored a very clear second yellow card for Argentine defender Tomás Avilés .

Messi reacted in time, and the substitutions turned the second half around. Mascherano was right to bring off Avilés to avoid a red card, but he made a mistake with the introduction of Marcelo Weingandt , who, despite his disorganized nature, equates his speed and drive, just like in his old days with Boca.

In the middle of the desert, Messi carried Inter with his rebelliousness. A few starts were cut short with a foul, a left-footed shot blocked for a corner, and even two attempts at Olympic corners, a long-standing obsession for the Rosario native, one he has tried to fulfill since his arrival in MLS and in matches with the Argentine national team.

Al Ahly's momentum faded into a mirage, and Inter suddenly began to have the clearest chances to win the match. And it was always thanks to Messi. Leo left Weigandt alone, who shot too hard over the bar . He then tried a free kick that was hailed as a goal for several seconds because it grazed the post and traveled all the way into the net. And towards the end, in the 92nd minute, he almost surprised everyone with a curled shot that almost went in the top corner, until El Shenawy's hand came through.

The last one also went to Inter: Suárez put a corner on the head of Uruguayan Maximiliano Falcón and the Al Ahly goalkeeper headed it out. That was the end of the story. It was 0-0, a rather discouraging result for what's to come , with matches against Porto - on Thursday - and Palmeiras , in the search for a qualification that always seemed complicated, although with this Messi in pharaonic mode, anything is possible .