Despite the sweltering temperatures (32C, 91F) in New Jersey, the opening half-hour of this crunch match was played at a frantic pace.
Porto, who surprisingly dropped talismanic striker Samu from the starting lineup, were slower out of the gate, yet still should’ve drawn first blood when Rodrigo Mora failed to apply a clean connection to a close-range volley.
Less than a minute later, Al Ahly punished that miss, as they scored for the first time at this CWC to break the deadlock. Hamdy Fathy drove towards the box and timed his pass through to Wessam Abou Ali perfectly, allowing the striker to apply the finishing touch via the far post.
Porto’s spirited response to falling behind was driven by William Gomes, who fired one chance over the bar before seeing another effort well saved by Mohamed El Shenawy.
However, there was nothing the Al Ahly stopper could do to prevent the enigmatic Mora from restoring parity in spectacular fashion.
The teenage starlet skipped past two defenders before showing composure beyond his years to round El Shenawy and slot home into the far corner.
A breathless first half continued as Zizo won a penalty for his side after being bundled over by Fabio Vieira inside the box.
Abou Ali stepped up and confidently sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, doubling his personal tally to ensure Al Ahly led at HT.
It seemed inconceivable that the game could be played at the same pace following the restart, but neither side was willing to take a backward step as three goals were scored in as many minutes in the second half’s early going.
First, Gomes netted for the first time in Porto colours, picking out the far corner having cut inside from the left, before less than a minute later, Abou Ali completed his second hat-trick in six appearances with a close-range header at the back post from Mohamed Hany’s cross.
Defensive coaches continued to despair when HT substitute Samu was allowed a free header from a Porto corner, and the Spanish international made no mistake in nodding home to take the scoreline to 3-3.
While entertainment was in rich supply, this was a must-win clash for both sides.
Al Ahly continually looked the more likely to get over the line, and they took the lead for the fourth time on the night when Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane beautifully curled past Claudio Ramos.
The Egyptians squandered multiple chances to put the contest to bed, while Samu inexplicably headed wide for Porto at the other end.
Incredibly, Porto found a fourth equaliser in the 89th minute when Pepe rifled home from long range, bringing the curtain down on a barnstormer that ultimately ends in heartbreak for both, as they exit the competition.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Wessam Abou Ali (Al Ahly)
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