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Matchday 10 of the Club World Cup delivered high drama and crucial outcomes. Paris Saint-Germain secured a spot in the Round of 16 with a mature performance against the Seattle Sounders, topping Group B on goal difference in the mini-table, edging out Botafogo, who were beaten at the death by Atletico Madrid. That win, however, wasn’t enough for the Colchoneros, who were eliminated despite winning two of their three matches. In Group A, Porto and Al Ahly bid farewell to the tournament after a thrilling 4-4 draw, clearing the path for Palmeiras and Inter Miami, who both advanced following a draw that reflected the balance between the two sides.
Results – Matchday 10
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Seattle Sounders – PSG | 0-2 |
| Atletico Madrid – Botafogo | 1-0 |
| Porto – Al Ahly | 4-4 |
| Inter Miami – Palmeiras | 2-2 |
Seattle Sounders – Paris Saint-Germain 0-2
A no-frills win for PSG, who finished top of Group B thanks to a superior goal difference in the three-way head-to-head with Botafogo and Atletico Madrid. At Seattle’s Lumen Field, Luis Enrique’s side dominated large spells of the game, as they often do, taking the lead in the 35th minute thanks to a fortunate deflection off Kvaratskhelia on a Vitinha shot that wrong-footed Frei.
The European champions gave up nothing defensively and struck again on the break in the 66th minute: Hakimi capped off a superb move started by Barcola, calmly finishing with his left foot to make it 2-0.
PSG’s maturity and pragmatism stood out, with Doué one of the brightest early on and Vitinha pulling the strings in midfield. In the second half, Zaire-Emery came close to a third, but the score remained unchanged. The Sounders, never truly dangerous, end their World Cup campaign with zero points and the realization that they were drawn into a brutal group. For PSG, a deserved qualification sets up a Round of 16 clash against Inter Miami and Lionel Messi, second-place finishers in Group A.
Atletico Madrid – Botafogo 1-0
A brutal heartbreak for Atletico Madrid. Their win over Botafogo, sealed by a Griezmann goal in the 87th minute, came too late and by too narrow a margin to secure a place in the Round of 16. The scorching heat in Pasadena slowed the Colchoneros’ tempo, who created plenty but wasted chances through Julian Alvarez and Sorloth.
Botafogo held firm with discipline and compactness, knowing that even a narrow defeat might be enough to go through.
In the second half, Atletico ramped up the pressure but continued to run into the organized Brazilian defense, bolstered by a stellar performance from goalkeeper John. Griezmann finally broke through in the dying minutes, but PSG’s simultaneous win in Seattle sealed Atletico’s fate. A shocking early exit for one of the tournament favorites, while Botafogo advance with a bitter smile: through to the next round, but only as runners-up after having beaten PSG in the group stage.
Porto – Al Ahly 4-4
One of the tournament’s most entertaining matches played out at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Eight goals, constant momentum swings, and three comebacks from Porto—yet it still wasn’t enough for the Portuguese side to advance.
Al Ahly started strong with Abou Ali, who opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a clinical left-footed finish and doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 45th. Mora’s strike in between had briefly leveled the score.
The second half was a whirlwind: Gomes made it 2-2 with a long-range rocket, but Abou Ali struck again—this time with a perfect header—to complete his hat trick. Porto responded immediately with a Samu equalizer, only to fall behind once more to a goal from Ben Romdhane. In the 89th minute, Pepê salvaged a draw with a precise left-footed finish.
A wild game that ultimately eliminated both sides, as Palmeiras and Inter Miami advanced.
Inter Miami – Palmeiras 2-2
A game of two halves at Hard Rock Stadium, where Inter Miami flirted with a major upset before letting it slip late on. After an energetic start by Palmeiras, it was Tata Martino’s side that broke the deadlock in the 15th minute through Allende, assisted by a brilliant chest pass from Suarez. The Uruguayan then scored his first goal of the tournament in the 65th, weaving through defenders and slotting in a classy left-footed finish to make it 2-0.
Palmeiras, however, came roaring back late: Paulinho and Mauricio netted quickfire goals between the 80th and 87th minutes to level the score. In stoppage time, Ustari made a game-saving double stop to preserve qualification for both sides.
The Brazilians topped the group on goal difference, while Messi and company settled for second place—setting up a tantalizing Round of 16 clash with PSG.
Updated Standings
Group A
| Team | Points | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmeiras | 5 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
| Inter Miami | 5 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Porto | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 |
| Al Ahly | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 |
Group B
| Team | Points | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSG | 6 | 6 | 1 | +5 |
| Botafogo | 6 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Atletico Madrid | 6 | 4 | 5 | -1 |
| Seattle Sounders | 0 | 2 | 7 | -5 |
With the group stage behind us, the tournament heats up in the Round of 16. All eyes are on the blockbuster clash between Inter Miami and PSG, while underdogs Botafogo and Palmeiras are ready to test their mettle against Europe’s elite.
