(Reuters) – It will be a clash of styles when the Seattle Sounders make their Club World Cup debut against Egyptian side Al Ahly in Tangier on Saturday, the Major League Soccer team’s goalkeeper Stefan Frei said.
The Sounders, who are the first team from the United States to compete in club soccer’s global finals, secured their place in the tournament after their title-winning run in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.
“These are going to be different styles clashing, styles that haven’t really faced each other before,” Frei told reporters on Wednesday.
“Both teams will be trying to figure each other out but we’ve shown in the past that we can absorb pressure and be lethal on counters.”
Frei and defender Alex Roldan said the team will be physically ready to compete despite having played just two friendlies since their disappointing 2022 MLS campaign wrapped up in October.
“The offseason was crucial and players were professional about it,” Frei said.
“From what I saw I was very impressed. Guys came in very sharp, very fit, and hungry.”
The team is taking it one game at a time but is well aware that a victory on Saturday would set up a semi-final showdown against Spanish giants Real Madrid.
“We definitely don’t look past Al Ahly. They are a very experienced team in this tournament but if we do find ourselves moving forward, it would be incredible,” Frei said.
“For an MLS team to have the opportunity to play against arguably the best team in the world for something meaningful is a privilege, it’s an honour.
“We sense that and we want to win against Al Ahly so that we can showcase our skill against such a huge opponent.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Toby Davis)
