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Formations, schnormations …
Fifa and TBS/DAZN disagree on how these teams will line up. ESPN disagrees even 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.com agrees, but they switch a couple of Al Ahly’s players.
Inter Miami lineup
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 Greece
D: 37 Maximiliano Falcon - Uruguayan joined Miami this year
M: 5 Sergio Busquets - Yes, that Busquets
M: 8 Telasco Segovia - Venezuelan new to club
M: 55 Federico Redondo - No, not that Redondo. He’s Fernando’s son and an Argentine youth international
F: 9 Luis Suarez - Yes, that Luis Suarez
F: 10 Lionel Messi - Yes, that Messi
F: 21 Tadeo Allende - Argentina player on loan from Spain’s Celta de Vigo
Fifa says 4-3-3. TBS says two forwards.
Al Ahly lineup
The Al Ahly side 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?
The Fifa site says Al 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
Preamble
If you’ve ever wanted to see Lionel Messi take on EPL opposition in a meaningful game, tonight’s your night.
You did mean Egyptian Premier 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 meantime here’s Barney Ronay’s latest dispatch from Miami.
