1. Inter Miami , with a style that is likened to slow rock, had a slightly off-beat start at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and have advanced to the round of 16.
However, what Lionel Messi and his teammates showed in the final match of Group A against Palmeiras left many fans with regrets.
Inter Miami's historic journey could end in the round of 16, when president David Beckham's team faces PSG - the 2025 Champions League champions.
Sunday's match, US time, marks Messi's reunion with the team that welcomed him after his tearful departure from Barcelona, as well as Luis Enrique, the coach with whom he won the Champions League in 2015.
Inter Miami had a better start than Palmeiras, leading 2-0 but dropping 2 points in just the last 10 minutes.
A result that was enough for both teams to advance, with Porto following Atletico's early return to Europe. The Portuguese side disappointed with a 4-4 draw with Al Ahly.
“It’s a shame. What we wanted was to be at the top of the table,” Jordi Alba lamented. “It was our fault that we were 2-0 up and let the win slip away.”
2. Soccer retains the magical quality of being able to be played in many different ways.
In an era where players are like high-intensity athletes, some games can still be controlled by… walking.
That was Inter Miami. Messi and his teammates lulled Palmeiras to sleep, even though the away fans filled the Hard Rock Stadium with passion.
Palmeiras fans created a colorful display with the letters “SEP” (the club’s abbreviation in Portuguese) and created a banner affirming the title: “The first club to win the world championship in 1951” .
Palmeiras fans want to repeat their Copa Rio triumph, which they consider the starting point of today's Club World Cup, despite not being officially recognised by FIFA.
Palmeiras entered the game with that rebellious spirit, but Inter Miami gradually cooled the pace of the match with slow passing.
The pink-shirted players passed the ball from one centre-back to the other, leaving striker Flaco Lopez exhausted as he ran from wing to wing without winning the ball.
Gradually, more players were drawn into the act, until Messi also dropped deep to join in the rhythm.
Watching Messi play is mesmerizing in seemingly uneventful games. He may appear to spend most of his time walking, but he is actually calculating the smallest details before making surprising moves.
Messi drops back to connect with the ball, spotting gaps in the blind spots of opposing defenders and thereby opening escape routes for his team.
The Argentine star sometimes moved to the right wing, a few minutes later appeared on the left wing. He played and chatted with Busquets and Federico Redondo, the match passed in a calm and calculating manner.
3. Palmeiras played faster, but rarely had possession. Every time they approached the penalty area, they fumbled, lacked precision and were frustrated. Estevao tried to stir up the right wing, but could not ignite.
In such a situation, Inter Miami suddenly counterattacked at lightning speed. Redondo kicked the ball from the penalty area to the middle of the field, Luis Suarez artistically stopped the ball, leaving Tadeo Allende alone to score.
Palmeiras took several minutes to wake up from the coma created by the home team. However, even in moments of pressure, Inter Miami was still able to launch counter-attacks thanks to their experienced veterans.
With Messi attracting the opponent, Suarez slipped past two Palmeiras defenders and entered the penalty area to fire a powerful shot to double the gap.
Inter Miami retreated deep, completely giving up the game to Palmeiras. The only team to win the Copa Libertadores for two consecutive seasons (2020, 2021) in the past two decades created waves of attacks.
At a time when many Inter Miami players were exhausted, Palmeiras had decisive attacks. First, Paulinho broke the offside trap to score a goal to reduce the score.
Then, when everything was revolving around the Inter Miami penalty area, a ball fell to Mauricio's feet and he finished successfully, equalizing 2-2 for Palmeiras.
Messi’s slow-paced rock band – who celebrates his 38th birthday today – continues to march forward. Awaiting them is PSG, with fans hoping for a Botafogo-like surprise.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/inter-miami-vao-vong-1-8-fifa-club-world-cup-nghe-thuat-messi-2414502.html
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