Fifa
Doha
Down 2-0 in the penalty shootout through two rounds, things were looking dire for Pachuca against Al Ahly in Saturday’s FIFA Challenger Cup. With their FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024 hopes hanging by a thread, the Mexican side were desperate for a momentum swing.
Goalkeeper Carlos Moreno duly delivered, making a diving save from Mahmoud Kahraba’s attempt to completely change the mood inside Doha’s 974 Stadium and open the door for a stunning comeback.
“It was life or death, it was crucial,” said Moreno to FIFA on his massive save that turned the tide for his team. “This is a team game and my team-mates took the rest of the penalties with a lot of character. That’s why we were able to come back in the shootout after complicating things by missing the first two. But the character of my team-mates that executed the rest of them was incredible. It was storybook.”
Following Moreno’s save from the Kahraba attempt, Pachuca were still not in the clear. Nelson Deossa had to convert his and did. Al Ahly were presented with another chance to win from the spot, but Omar Kamal missed wide.
After the two sides exchanged another two scores, Faber Gil gave Pachuca the 6-5 advantage that proved decisive, as Khaled Abdelfattah slammed his effort off the crossbar and out, setting off an emphatic Pachuca celebration.
Through it all, Moreno never lost his nerve, thanks to his steadfast preparation and thorough assistance from team-mates and staff.
“In my head, just like in [Al Ahly’s players’ heads], a thousand things are happening,” said Moreno. “There are many feelings that in that moment you have to control. I thank God, I thank the team and also want to thank my team-mates, the goalkeepers, the goalkeeper coaches, who help me with keeping an eye on the opponents. Today that bore fruit in that decisive penalty.”
Thanks in part to two successive clean sheets from Moreno, Pachuca’s legendary ride in the Intercontinental Cup will now have a magical conclusion, as they face Real Madrid in the final at the Lusail Stadium on Wednesday.
Already emotional from the exhausting, yet exhilarating, encounter, a visibly emotional Moreno reflected on what it will mean to face the European titans in a FIFA final.
“It is a dream, it gives you goosebumps,” said Moreno. “So many boyhood dreams and a road in which you’ve gone through many things. To face this type of team is a dream, I’m getting goosebumps right now. It’s exciting and we are going to go out defending ourselves with every tooth and nail, to defend our dreams, defend our fans and our institution.”Pachuca goalkeeper Carlos Moreno reflects on his heroics in his
team’s stunning penalty shootout comeback against Al Ahly
