Inter Miami ended in a draw with Palmeiras that complicated the next stage

The team led by Lionel Messi could not hold on to it’s early victory against Palmeiras, who tied the match in the final minutes, and now must face Luis Enrique’s PSG in the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Inter Miami seemed in control against Palmeiras: 2–0 up by the 65th minute, thanks to Tadeo Allende (16′) and Luis Suárez (65′) with a brilliant solo run. It was all fun and games for the pink team from Miami who entered the pitch with a hunger for victory but, in the last ten minutes, wasn’t able to close a game that, at the beginning, seemed like an «easy win».

And so, the game flipped: Paulinho pulled one back in the 80th and Mauricio leveled at 87′ with a late header. Palmeiras snatched a draw—and the top spot in Group A—on goal difference over Inter Miami.

“There’s nothing decided until the whistle,” Suárez summed it up. Coach Mascherano praised the team for hitting their goal: finishing second and advancing to the Round of 16, something historic for an MLS club.

Beyond the score, there was a moment: Messi swapped shirts at halftime with Estevão, Palmeiras’ rising star, respectful and symbolic of football’s passing torch. Miami finished the group unbeaten (W1-D2), carrying momentum—and a date with PSG in the Round of 16—forward.