Raphinha penalty earns Barcelona victory over Al Ahly in Joan Gamper Trophy

Barcelona completed their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 victory over Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Olympic Stadium of Montjuic on Wednesday evening.

Al Ahly, the Egyptian club, made Barcelona work for the win and remained within touching distance throughout a competitive contest. The Catalan side, fielding a team that was almost at full strength, eventually established a two-goal advantage before their opponents mounted a second-half fightback.

Barcelona opened the scoring in the first half through an Egyptian youngster. The identity of the goalscorer was not specified, but his finish gave the hosts the lead against an Al Ahly side that had defended resolutely for much of the opening period.

Raphinha then increased Barcelona’s advantage from the penalty spot, putting the hosts 2-0 ahead. That goal appeared to give the Spanish side control of the match, but Al Ahly responded strongly after the interval and ensured the contest remained uncertain until the final stages.

Zizo pulled one goal back for Al Ahly in the 51st minute. The Egyptian club continued to look for an equaliser and made repeated efforts to put Barcelona under pressure, although they were unable to find a second goal.

Barcelona were also denied the chance to settle the match late on when Gordon missed a penalty. The failure to convert left Al Ahly still within one goal of their opponents, but the Cairo-based side could not take advantage as Barcelona preserved their lead until the final whistle.

The result brought Al Ahly’s summer preparation to a close with defeat, although the match represented a significant test for the Egyptian giants. Facing one of Europe’s leading clubs allowed Al Ahly to assess their level against elite opposition before the start of their new season in Egypt on Friday.

For Barcelona, the victory provided a positive conclusion to their own pre-season programme. The club can now turn its attention to the opening of its La Liga campaign, with Elche their first opponents.

Al Ahly’s performance at Montjuic demonstrated that they could compete for long periods against a near-complete Barcelona team, even though the Egyptian side ultimately fell short of securing a result. Their late push after Zizo’s goal and Barcelona’s missed penalty kept the outcome in doubt, but the hosts’ first-half advantage proved decisive.