Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Draw vs. Palmeiras, Fans Applaud Reaching CWC Knockout Stage

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami secured a spot in the knockout round of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-2 draw against Palmeiras on Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Palmeiras, having topped Group A, will also advance. Despite a late defensive collapse that saw their two-goal lead erased, Inter Miami is the only MLS team to advance beyond group stage play.

Inter Miami will face Paris Saint-Germain F.C.— Messi’s former club—in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup knockout stage.

Miami is +1300 to upset PSG (-600) while a draw is +650, according to DraftKings.

Goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suárez gave Miami the early edge, and while the draw wasn’t the win they wanted, it was enough to punch their ticket to the next round—sparking celebrations from fans across the stadium.

Monday marked a high-stakes clash between the top two teams in Group A, as Inter Miami faced Palmeiras with a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup knockout round on the line. Entering the final group match with two wins and a draw (seven points), Inter Miami came out aggressive from the start.

Allende opened the scoring in the 16th minute, slotting one home from the center of the box off an assist from Luis Suárez. Lionel Messi, eager to make his mark, earned a yellow card late in the first half as Miami took a 1-0 lead into the break.

After halftime, Suárez doubled the lead with a strike into the top-left corner in the 66th minute, assisted by Noah Allen, giving Miami a commanding 2-0 advantage.

But the match took a dramatic turn in the final 10 minutes. Paulo Henrique pulled one back for Palmeiras in the 80th minute, and Mauricio Magalhães Prado followed with the equalizer in the 87th, tying it 2-2.

With four minutes of stoppage time added, Inter Miami focused on stalling Palmeiras’ momentum and holding onto the draw—securing their place in the knockout round.