Inter Miami did not make it easy for themselves but they secured passage to the knockout rounds of the Club World Cup with a dramatic 2-2 draw with Palmeiras on Monday.

The Herons soared to a two-goal lead with goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez. But the MLS team faded late on and Palmeiras scored twice in the final ten minutes. Miami still progress but they do so as group runners-up, setting up a round-of-16 clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Not only will Miami take on the reigning European champions and pre-tournament favorites, they will also face Lionel Messi’s former team. This will be the first time that Messi has faced PSG since leaving two years ago and his side go into the game as major underdogs.

But for the club’s front office, Miami have already exceeded expectations. They received $9.5 million for making it to this summer’s tournament, and have earned another $4.2 million in prize money for their one win and two draws in the group stage. However another big windfall is still to come.

Each club that makes it to the round-of-16 will get around $7.9 million in prize money, a huge amount for an MLS team. That takes Inter Miami’s total earnings for the Club World Cup to $21.6 million, enough to cover an entire year of Messi’s league-high salary.

Had Inter Miami held on to their lead against Palmeiras they would have advanced as group winners and avoided the daunting prospect of a clash with PSG in the next round. Palmeiras will now take on fellow Brazilian side Botafogo, a team that Inter Miami would have had a much better chance of competing with.

Nevertheless, Inter Miami have flown the flag for MLS in a tournament on home soil. Their run may not continue beyond the next round but it’s been quite an achievement for Javier Mascherano’s inconsistent team.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.