Lionel Messi will face former club Paris St-Germain at the FIFA Club World Cup as Inter Miami drew 2-2 with Palmeiras to reach the knockout stages.
A point was sufficient for both sides to progress after Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez had Inter cruising at 2-0 in front of 60,900 fans at Hard Rock Stadium.
However, the Brazilian club scored twice in the final 10 minutes - from Paulinho and Mauricio - to ensure they went through as winners of Group A on goal difference.
Inter finished second to set up the meeting with PSG on Sunday, where Argentina forward Messi played from 2021 for two years.
Inter Miami’s involvement in this tournament is a controversial one. FIFA opted to give the one qualifying spot available for the host nation of the Club World Cup to them. The decision was generally seen as an attempt to ensure iconic Messi took part, albeit undeservedly. But it was a necessary commercial decision as ticket sales and general interest for the tournament was low.
However, Inter have proved their worth, becoming the only team from the United States to reach the knockout phase - with both Los Angeles FC and the Seattle Sounders eliminated.
“We’ve achieved the goal we set for ourselves at the start of this tournament, which was to qualify for the round of 16,” said Inter head coach Javier Mascherano. “Despite the fact we’re facing arguably the best team in Europe, the Champions League winners, we’ll try to approach it with the same humility and the same seriousness. “If there’s one thing this sport has shown us, it’s that anything can happen in a match.”
PSG defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-0 to seal their place in the knockout stages as the winners of group B. Palmeiras face fellow Brazilian side Botafogo in Philadelphia the previous day.
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