What we learned as the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup gets started in Miami

Oscar Ustari saved a penalty and Lionel Messi was denied a late winner as Inter Miami were held to an entertaining draw by Al Ahly in the opening match of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.

After a glittering opening ceremony with a host of football royalty watching on - from Sir David Beckham to Brazil striker Ronaldo - under-pressure FIFA president Gianni Infantino will be relieved their new 32-team tournament delivered everything they had hoped for on the opening night.

Flashscore takes a look at the three main talking points as the much-maligned tournament gets underway.

Fears of empty stadium eases with near sell-out

Tickets have been slow to shift for the tournament with prices for the first game sliding from $350 in December to just $90 on the morning of the match.

This comes amid fears that fans could be targeted at stadiums with a widespread government crackdown on immigrants and ominous threats by US Customs and Border Protection who claimed to be "suited and booted, ready to provide security for the first round of games."

Yet the Hard Rock Stadium, home to NFL's Miami Dolphins, was almost full as 60,927 supporters turned up, with Al Ahly supporters arriving in vast numbers to offer a colourful splash of red shirts and golden pharaohs, cheering on the 12-time African Champions League winners throughout.

"It was like we were playing in Cairo and that was a surprise for me in my first official match," Al-Ahly's Spanish manager Jose Riveiro told reporters.

Riveiro, who is only taking over the club for this tournament, added: "To be here in the States and have it like you were playing at home is something that can probably only happen in this club."

Questions still remain over matches that should attract a large expat following - including River Plate against Monterrey in Los Angeles - and what will await spectators as they approach the turnstiles.

FIFA will at least be relieved to avoid the chaotic scenes that faced Argentina and Colombia fans in the Copa America final in Miami last summer, when dozens of people were arrested for storming into the stadium after long delays to enter.

This time there was an efficient filter system with an exterior perimeter fence and enhanced ticket and security checks in place.

Messi denied in final minute but record in sight

Lionel Messi has spent the past two seasons in the MLS at Inter Miami but the Club World Cup pits him against some of the world's best opponents once again.

Yet against Al Ahly the Argentine forward cut a frustrated figure, with the 45-time champions of Egypt putting in a solid defensive display to keep him largely at bay.

The 37-year-old was unlucky not to score from a free-kick that clipped the outside of the post as Inter piled on the pressure, and was denied a fairytale stoppage-time winner in the final moments when Mohamed El Shenawy tipped his goal-bound shot onto the bar.

Messi will become the oldest goalscorer in the Club World Cup with his next strike and could become the tournament's all-time leading goalscorer - overtaking Portugal's Ronaldo, who opted against competing this summer - with three goals in USA.

However there are tougher tests that lie ahead for the Argentine, with Porto and Palmeiras the next two games before a potential last-16 showdown against his former club - and newly crowned European champions - Paris Saint-Germain or LaLiga's Atletico Madrid.

Despite the opening day draw, Miami fans should still remain positive they can navigate their way out of the group to setup a blockbuster knockout tie tournament organisers could only dream of.

Miami turning on the heat

Away from the hot political climate in the USA, the evening temperature in Miami topped over 30 degrees at kick-off with players stopping for refreshment breaks intermittently throughout the match.

Supporters too were seen fanning themselves as the humidity soared.

It has been a long and arduous campaign for most clubs and there is a fear over player fatigue and injuries with European cup holders PSG and Chelsea having already played almost 60 games this season.

Al Ahly's Moroccan defender Achraf Dari reacts against Inter MiamiPatricia De Melo Moreira / AFP

On the sidelines of a PSG training session at the University of California earlier in the day, Portuguese midfielder Vitinha told reporters: "there are lots of competitions and the travelling is non-stop, so it's not easy for us."

And it took just 14 minutes for their fears to come to pass in Miami with Al Ahly's Emam Ashour having to be replaced following a rough tackle, with Messi going down moments later.

There will be plenty of nervous fans and managers watching on over the next four weeks with the temperature set to rise on both sides of the country.

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