African Champions League winners Al Ahly defeated Mexican club Monterrey 1-0 at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi to advance to the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Mohamed Hany struck eight minutes into the second half as the Egyptian giants set up a last four clash with Palmeiras on January 8.

Al Ahly's victory was momentous as the club came into the match as clear underdogs and was missing the services of a number of players who are on duty at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Egyptian national team.

Al Ahly finished in third place during the 2020 Club World Cup, behind Germany's Bayern Munich and Mexico's UANL, which had been postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-129 pandemic.

The tournament's second semifinal will see European champions Chelsea play either Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal or hosts Al Jazira, who face each other on Sunday. That semifinal will be played on February 9, with the final being played on February 12.

The FIFA Club World Cup, which features the winners of the continental cups in FIFA's six confederations and the league champions from the host nation, had been scheduled to be played in Japan in December but was postponed and moved to the United Arab Emirates.

(With input from agencies)