MIAMI — On the eve of Lionel Messi’s 39th birthday, more than 60,000 fans at Hard Rock Stadium watched in amazement as his Inter Miami team took a 2-0 lead on Brazilian great Palmeiras, and then held their breath as Palmeiras tied it 2-2 in a thrilling Club World Cup match.

Both teams advanced to the Round of 16 with the draw. Palmeiras won the group and will play Brazilian rival Botafogo on Saturday in Philadelphia. Miami, far exceeding pre-tournament expectations, finished second and will play Paris Saint-Germain at noon Sunday in Atlanta.

Tadeo Allende scored the first Miami goal and Luis Suarez the second. Palmeiras closed the gap to 2-1 with a goal by Paulinho at the 80-minute mark and Mauricio scored the equalizer in the 87th minute.

Brazilian soccer fans have been packing Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro for Club World Cup watch parties since the tournament began, and Palmeiras fans brought their carnival atmosphere to Hard Rock Stadium Monday night for the decisive Group A match against Inter Miami.

The smell of grilled Brazilian steak filled the air in the parking lots before the match. A sea of green filled the east side of the stadium and there were a lot of green shirts mixed with Inter Miami pink No. 10 jerseys throughout the building.

Miami’s “La Familia” supporters’ groups cheered from the west stands with their banners and drums and went wild at the 16th minute, when Suarez tracked a long pass from the back and fed a streaking Allende, who made a calm finish to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead.

Inter Miami dominated possession 59% to 41% in the first half, Palmeiras took 10 shots, but just one on goal, and Miami hung on to a 1-0 lead at intermission.

Then, in the second half, it was Suarez’s time to shine. The 38-year-old Uruguayan, who has struggled to score through much of this season, got his first goal of the tournament with a left-footed blast that brought back memories of his younger days.

Once again, Hard Rock Stadium drew a large, lively crowd after averaging 60,626 fans through the first four games.

Both teams aimed for a win to secure first place in the group, but a tie was enough to send both through to the Round of 16 next weekend. FC Porto and Al Ahly played simultaneously in the other Group A match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and their game was tied 4-4 late.

Palmeiras and Miami were tied on points with four apiece heading into Monday’s game, and the Brazilian team held the edge with a plus-two goal differential to Miami’s plus-one. Porto was third with one point and minus-one differential, while Al Ahly was fourth with one point and minus-two.

Although Miami entered Monday’s game with excellent odds of making the knockout round, coach Javier Mascherano insisted his team was going for a win, not a tie.

“We’re facing possibly one of the most important games in the history of our club and that should fill us with enthusiasm,” Mascherano said. “We should not let it not be a burden, but rather but an exciting challenge for this group of players who are on a good run through the first two games.

“It would be a big mistake if we went into it thinking about not playing it and only about the result. I think that when you think about the result, things can happen during the game that make it very difficult to get back into the game. In the end, our idea is to go and win the game like we’ve always done, like every time we go into a game, whether it’s in the Club World Cup, MLS, the Champions Cup, or any other competition we’re involved in.”

Inter Miami’s Starting XI had two changes from the Porto game: Tomas Aviles started at center back in place of injured Ian Fray and Fede Redondo started instead of Benja Cremaschi in the midfield.

The lineup: Oscar Ustari, Marcelo Weigandt, Aviles, Maxi Falcon, Noah Allen, Allende, Redondo, Sergio Busquets, Telasco Segovia, Messi and Luis Suarez. Jordi Alba was on the bench for the second game in a row as he is making his way back from a leg injury.

Palmeiras’ starters included: Weverton, Murilo, Gustavo Gomez, Joaquin Piquerez, Marcos Rocha, Raphael Veiga, Lucas Evangelista, Richard Rios, Jose Lopez, Facundo Torres and 18-year-old Estevao, who is headed to Chelsea after this tournament. The English club reportedly paid a $39.3 million transfer fee with another $26.6 million in performance-based incentives.

Estavao made his club debut at age 16 and last season scored 13 goals with nine assists.

Asked about the opportunity to face Messi, Estevao said: “I am very excited. I’ll be playing against one of the greatest football players in history, so being on the pitch with him will be an incredible and unforgettable experience for me.”

Palmeiras, which is based in Sao Paulo, is Brazil’s most successful domestic club with a record 12 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, four Copas do Brasil, one Copa dos Campeões and one Supercopa do Brasil.

Among the guests at the stadium were some Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers players, who appeared on the field at halftime along with the trophy a day after the championship parade in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

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