It took nearly the entire second half, but relentless attacks on goal paid off for Antoine Griezmann in the 87th minute on Monday.
After teammate Ángel Correa’s shot was blocked by a defender, Griezmann sent a left-footed shot into the net to lift Atlético Madrid to a 1-0 victory over Botafogo in Group B action of the Club World Cup in Pasadena, California.
Unfortunately, it was not enough to send the Spaniards on to the knockout rounds as Atlético Madrid needed a victory of at least three goals to advance. Paris Saint-Germain, who defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-0 on Monday, and Botafogo – who beat PSG earlier this week – claimed the group’s top two spots.
In the 10th minute, Botafogo had a prime opportunity to strike first after a through ball to Jefferson Savarino gave the striker a run at goal. Atlético Madrid’s keeper Jan Oblak, however, stretched out to keep the match scoreless.
Julián Alvarez nearly gave Atlético Madrid the lead just before the half. The forward collected a pass just outside the area, turned and whipped a right-footed shot, but his attempt was pulled wide.
Early in the second half, Atlético again put the pressure on Botafogo with Griezmann attempting to sneak in a left-footed shot by the near post, but it caromed off the post and out of play.
In the 67th minute, Botafogo went on the offensive as Cuiabano lofted a cross into the box that Igor Jesus hit first-time. Again, Oblak was there to punch the attempt away to maintain a clean sheet.
Atlético had several chances to build upon their lead after Griezmann’s late goal, but Botafogo continued to deny the Spaniards.
PSG 2-0 Seattle Sounders
In Group B’s other game, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored in the first half, Achraf Hakimi struck in the second and PSG secured their place in the last 16 with a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders.
Gianluigi Donnarumma kept his second clean sheet of the tournament in front of the Sounders home supporters without having to make a save as PSG closed out their Group B campaign and rebounded from a 1-0 defeat to Botafogo on Thursday.
PSG will face Inter Miami in a second-round match on Sunday in Atlanta, Georgia, after Palmeiras snatched top spot in Group A from the hosts in Florida.
Seattle (0-3-0, 0 points) became the second MLS team to be eliminated following LAFC’s exit after their 1-0 loss to ES Tunis in Group D on Thursday.
Hakimi’s goal came on a swift counter moments after one of the Sounders’ best chances. Eventually, Bradley Barcola slalomed into the penalty area from the left, then picked out Hakimi on the opposite side of the box.
Hakimi had time to take a composing touch before firing in an emphatic finish from about 10 yards out.
As expected, PSG had the majority of the early chances. Désiré Doué’s effort forced Stefan Frei into a sprawling save in the 12th minute.
But the Sounders had some success pressing high and nearly took a shock lead in the 19th minute after turning PSG over at the edge of their own box – only for Jesús Ferreira to fire his hurried effort well high of the target.
The Parisians were fortunate with their 35th minute breakthrough. Vitinha’s initial strike from the edge of the penalty area through traffic appeared to be heading wide of the right post. Instead it struck Kvaratskhelia’s back, redirecting it neatly inside the upright before Frei could react.
Twice PSG nearly doubled their lead early in the second. After a promising attack down the left, Doué’s 56th-minute attempt from about 10 yards was blocked by Nouhou’s critical sprawling intervention. Four minutes later, João Neves volleyed Hakimi’s outswinging service from the right just wide of the left post.
Inter Miami 2-2 Palmeiras
Palmeiras fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Inter Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday, a result which secured both teams a place in the last 16.
Goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez had Miami on course for a second surprise victory in the tournament after their win over Porto.
But the Brazilian side struck twice in the last 10 minutes through Paulinho and Mauricio to claim a draw that secures them top spot in Group A.
Inter Miami will face European champions PSG in the last 16, while Palmeiras finished above the local side on goal difference and will have an all-Brazilian encounter with Botofogo.
For Lionel Messi, who celebrates his 38th birthday on Tuesday, the next round will see him face his former club PSG for the first time since leaving them to join Miami in 2023.
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Palmeiras rallied late in the game as Paulinho scored in the 80th minute and Mauricio levelled in the 87th to cancel out a brilliant individual performance from Luis Suarez.
The Uruguayan scored a goal that echoed the peak of his long career to double Miami’s lead in the 65th minute after his clever assist set up Tadeo Allende in the first half.
Now 38 years old, Suarez scored after receiving a pass from the left and using his body to ward off Lucas Evangelista’s challenge, then drove at and cut back across defender Bruno Fuchs.
Although Fuchs poked the ball with an outstretched heel, Suarez kept possession, sorted his feed, then powered a ferocious half volley that sailed past Weverton into the near top corner.
Allende had earlier put Miami in front in the 16th minute with one of the most direct goals of the tournament. Federico Redondo cleared the ball from his own penalty area, and Suarez made a retreating run from the centre circle to meet the clearance.
With one touch, Suarez put the ball onto the path of Allende racing forward across the midfield stripe into open space. With Palmeiras defender Murilo appearing to suffer a hamstring strain while on the chase, Allende had plenty of time on the break to compose himself before driving a crisp, low finish past Weverton.
Paulinho cut Palmeiras’ deficit in half after he ran onto Allan’s clever diagonal ball into the area, then finished into the bottom left corner just ahead of Benjamin Cremaschi’s challenge.
Seven minutes later, Mauricio hammered in an emphatic finish low with his first touch after he was first to Marcelo Weigandt’s headed partial clearance before Palmeiras held on for the draw.
Porto 4-4 Al Ahly
Inter Miami and Palmeiras earning a point each meant that the other two sides in Group A – Al Ahly and Porto – were both eliminated despite producing a highly entertaining 4-4 draw at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Pepe fired in an 89th-minute equaliser for Porto to cap a wild match on Monday, after Wessam Abou Ali hit a hat-trick for Al Ahly and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane scored the Egyptian club’s fourth of the night.
But Porto went punch for punch and drew level four separate times. With time dripping away, Pepe received a pass from Gabri Veiga and uncorked a right-footed shot from above the penalty arc that got past Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
Rodrigo Mora, William Gomes and Samu Aghehowa also scored for Porto, and Claudio Ramos made six saves while dealing with Al Ahly’s 12 shots on target.
But the entertaining contest turned out to be the last of the tournament for both teams as they each head home without a victory.
Abou Ali opened his high-scoring affair by rolling in a sharp-angle shot from the left of the six-yard box, knocking it in off the post.
He gave Al Ahly a 2-1 half-time lead by depositing a spot kick into the bottom left corner of the goal. Then just one minute after Gomes tied the match, Abou Ali scored his third goal from a header off Mohamed Hany’s cross.
Aghehowa did not wait long to make it 3-3 with a header of his own, as he leapt and powered one in from a corner kick by Fabio Vieira.
Ben Romdhane broke through in the 64th with a right-footed blast from the top of the 18-yard box, assisted by Achraf Bencharki, before Pepe had the final say.
