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Wessam Abou Ali: The Finishing Touch Crew Needs

Abou Ali''s ability to finish chances at a high rate could be the missing piece in Wilfried Nancy’s tactical puzzle. He could be the catalyst that pushes Columbus from just sneaking into the playoffs to serious cup contenders.
ByIvan Davis|
[Subscription Customers Only] Jun 23, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Al Ahly's Wessam Abou Ali celebrates scoring their first goal during a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Susana Vera-Reuters via Imagn Images
[Subscription Customers Only] Jun 23, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Al Ahly's Wessam Abou Ali celebrates scoring their first goal during a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Susana Vera-Reuters via Imagn Images | Susana Vera-Reuters via Imagn Images

As the Columbus Crew enters the final stretch of the 2024–2025 MLS regular season, all eyes are on their newest attacking weapon: Wessam Abou Ali. The Danish-Palestinian striker arrives from Al Ahly with a reputation for clinical finishing—and the numbers back it up.

In 17 league appearances for Al Ahly, Abou Ali scored 10 goals in 1,178 minutes, giving him a goals-per-90 rate of 0.76 and a shot conversion rate of 23.2%. That’s almost double the Columbus Crew’s team average of 13.5%, a stat that highlights just how much of a difference-maker he could be. The table below shows just how much better Wessam can make the Crew in almost every meaningful offensive production metric.

Metric

Wessam Abou Ali

Columbus Crew (Team Avg)

Shot Conversion Rate

23.2%

13.5%

Goals per 90

.76

0.45

Shot Accuracy

46.5%

48%

Shots per Goal

4.3

7.4

If Wessam Abou Ali continues to produce in MLS at the rate he did through 2024 with Al Ahly , he is projected to score approximately:

6.4 goals

over the remaining 9 MLS regular season games for Columbus Crew.

What This Means for the Crew:

If he plays full matches, Abou Ali could add 6–7 goals to the team’s total. His finishing efficiency also means fewer wasted chances, which has been a Crew weakness this season. This higher level of efficiency could help turn draws into wins, especially in tight matches where a single goal makes the difference. This could be the difference between a lower playoff seed and a homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, especially in tight Eastern Conference standings.

If Wessam Abou Ali brings his Al Ahly form to MLS, don’t blink—because the next time you look up, the ball might already be in the back of the net

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