Inter Miami were held to a goalless draw by Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium in the opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday. After the surprising draw, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said his team got bogged down due to anxiety in the first half but praised the fightback after the break.

“I am happy with the performance. We were better in the second half. In the first, we lost a few balls and gave away too many transitions where they were dangerous,” said Mascherano after the match. “In the second half, we created chances, controlled the game, and had opportunities to win it. That’s football.”

With Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy putting up a stunning performance, making brilliant saves, Inter Miami could not break the deadlock despite repeated attacks in the second half.

Mascherano, however, is happy with the effort and attitude shown by his squad ahead of bigger clashes against Porto and Palmeiras.

“We knew we were up against a strong team... The nerves and anxiety played a trick on us in the first half,” he admitted. “But we had our chances to win. The team left a very good impression. This is the path forward… playing like this, we can beat anyone.”

In a game where Inter Miami suffered because of a lack of cohesion in the team during the first half, Mascherano made only two substitutions throughout the match. His squad showed a better version in the second half, controlling possession and looking more organised, but ultimately lacked the cutting edge to secure all three points.

Mascherano also ushered praise on Messi, who came close to scoring twice - once his shot missed the target, while El Shenawy punched another away. Despite coming off international duty with Argentina just days ago, Messi played the full 90 minutes in Inter Miami’s Club World Cup debut.

“It’s admirable how much love Messi has for the game. After all the matches he’s played, he’s still here, giving his all,” Mascherano said. “Of course, we wanted to win, but I’m happy with the team’s performance today.”