Palmeiras comes back to tie Inter Miami 2-2, sending both teams to Club World Cup round of 16

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Palmeiras came from behind to play Inter Miami to a 2-2 draw in front of an electric crowd at Hard Rock Stadium, and both clubs advanced to the Club World Cup round of 16 on Monday night.

Mauricio sealed the comeback for the historic Brazilian club with the equalizer in the 87th minute after Palmeiras trailed most of the match.

A tie was enough to send both teams to the knockout round after they entered Monday's match tied atop the Group A standings with four points apiece.

For a while, it looked like Inter Miami would advance as winners of the group after taking a 2-0 lead deep into regulation on goals by Tadeo Allende in the 16th and veteran Luis Suarez in the 65th.

Palmeiras clawed back after a couple of second-half substitutions. Paulinho got his team on the board in the 80th, and the equalizer from Mauricio came a few minutes later.

Messi, who turns 39 on Tuesday, had numerous chances but did not score Monday despite the crowd chanting his name throughout the match.

Messi was seen shaking his head just after Mauricio broke through Miami's defense and hammered the tying goal past goalkeeper Oscar Ustari, as Miami's lead had slipped away in a matter of minutes.

Palmeiras finished as winners of Group A on goal differential and will face fellow Brazilian squad Botafogo in the round of 16, while Inter Miami will face Group B winner and Messi's former club Paris Saint-Germain. The Herons were the only MLS club to advance to the round of 16 after Los Angeles FC and Seattle were eliminated.

“It’s very important that the team was able to compete at this level at the Club World Cup. I think we’ve left our mark as a competitive team. I think this is good for us to see where the limit really is for the MLS. This is the message that we’re giving. Beyond that, we’ve got to prepare for what’s coming. We know it will be a challenge, just as this round was.” — Suarez through an interpreter

“We could at the last moment have won the match, but quite honestly it wouldn’t have been fair given how Inter Miami played in the first half. Tying was the best result. ... Whether it’s by tying or by winning, this is what we came for." — Palmeiras head coach Abel Moreira through an interpreter

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Inter Miami's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring his side's second goal against Palmeiras during the Club World Cup Group A soccer match between Inter Miami and Palmeiras in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Palmeiras' Paulinho celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Club World Cup Group A soccer match between Inter Miami and Palmeiras in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Inter Miami's Tadeo Allende celebrates after scoring past Palmeiras goalie Weverton during the Club World Cup Group A soccer match between Inter Miami and Palmeiras in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Inter Miami's Tadeo Allende celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Palmeiras during the Club World Cup Group A soccer match between Inter Miami and Palmeiras in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Palmeiras' Mauricio, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Club World Cup Group A soccer match between Inter Miami and Palmeiras in Miami Gardens, Fla., Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

MIAMI (AP) — Anfernee Simons scored 18 of his season-high 39 points in the fourth quarter, Jaylen Brown added 27 and the Boston Celtics trailed most of the way before rallying to beat the Miami Heat 119-114 on Thursday night.

Sam Hauser added 17 points for the Celtics, who outscored Miami 36-21 in the fourth quarter and won after facing as much as a 19-point deficit. It was their second-biggest comeback win of the season, after coming from 20 down to beat Indiana on Dec. 22.

Simons had the second highest-scoring game for a reserve this season — Utah's Brice Sensabaugh had 43 on Wednesday night in a loss to Chicago — and became the fourth Celtics player in the last 50 years to score at least 39 off the bench. The others: Larry Bird, Todd Day and Payton Pritchard.

Norman Powell scored 26 points for Miami, which got 22 points apiece from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Andrew Wiggins added 16 for the Heat.

Simons had 11 consecutive Boston points in the fourth quarter to chip away at what was left of the Miami edge, and then Hauser got an open 3-pointer with 5:21 left to give the Celtics their first lead since the opening minute of the game.

The lead changed hands twice more, before Brown's 3-pointer with 4:05 remaining put Boston on top for good.

Miami started the game on a 28-9 run, putting the Celtics in a most unusual early position.

That 19-point margin — only about seven minutes into the game — matched the biggest first-quarter deficit the Celtics faced in a 304-game span since trailing Indiana by 20 early on in a game on Dec. 21, 2022. Boston also trailed Milwaukee by 19 in the first quarter on April 9, 2024.

The Heat played without starting point guard Davion Mitchell (left shoulder contusion) and sixth man Jaime Jaquez Jr. (left knee soreness).

Celtics: At Atlanta on Saturday night.

Heat: Host Oklahoma City on Saturday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons, center, is defended by Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (4) comes under pressure from Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (4) goes for the basket defended by Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware, obscured, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) reacts after making a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra watches from courtside during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)