Palmeiras tightened their grip on Group A of the FIFA Club World Cup after capitalising on two second-half lapses to defeat Egypt’s Al Ahly 2-0 on a night punctuated by thunder, video drama and a near hour-long weather delay.

The Brazilian side, trophy-hunting under long-serving coach Abel Ferreira, now need only a draw against Inter Miami to book a quarter-final place, while Africa’s flag-bearers must beat Porto and hope other results fall their way.

Al Ahly began brightly, Trezeguet and Attiyat Allah fizzing teasing crosses that goalkeeper Weverton claimed at full stretch. Centre-half Yasser Ibrahim then produced a last-ditch header to thwart teenage winger Estêvão after the Chelsea-bound prodigy had wriggled into space.

Palmeiras were largely content to sit off and strike sporadically on the break, yet they almost snatched the lead when Estêvão skipped past two markers and shot a whisker wide.

Tempers flared ten minutes from the interval: birthday-boy Raphael Veiga flew into a high challenge on Zizo and was shown a straight red by English referee Anthony Taylor, only for VAR to downgrade the sanction to yellow.