In a dramatic Club World Cup showdown on Monday night, Palmeiras fought back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami, a result that saw both teams advance to the last 16. The Brazilian side topped Group A on goal difference, while the draw was enough for Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to clinch second place, sending Al-Ahly and Porto packing after their 4-4 draw.
Inter Miami looked poised for a famous win after taking a two-goal lead, thanks to Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez. Allende opened the scoring in the 16th minute, charging past the Palmeiras defense for a composed finish after a dazzling 40-meter run. Suarez doubled the lead in the 65th minute, cutting onto his left foot and smashing the ball into the top corner from a difficult angle.
Despite the vibrant Miami start, the match’s momentum shifted late in the second half. Palmeiras, backed by a boisterous crowd that turned the stadium into a virtual away venue for the hosts, found a spark in the closing stages. Substitute Paulinho reignited hopes in the 80th minute with a precise low shot into the bottom corner. Just seven minutes later, Mauricio pounced on a loose clearance and fired home from the edge of the box to level the score and secure Palmeiras’ top spot.
“It was a great game from us, it’s difficult to play against one of the best teams in South America,” said Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano. He called it a “historic night” for Major League Soccer and praised his team’s grit and composure. “Maybe, at the end we had the game in our hands so the feeling is strange but before the start of the tournament if someone told me we were going to have this kind of performance against these kind of teams I would have signed it.”
Inter Miami now faces a blockbuster clash against European champions Paris Saint-Germain, where Messi played from 2021 to 2023, while Palmeiras prepares for an intense all-Brazilian encounter against Botafogo in the knockout round.
Inter Miami remains the only MLS side still standing in the tournament after Los Angeles FC and the Seattle Sounders were eliminated, marking a milestone for the league on the global stage.
