It was a night of snapping hamstrings and straining muscles in Miami. Federico Redondo limped off. Palmeiras center back Murilo Cerqueria pulled up mid-sprint. Noah Allen seemed to gesture to pretty much every part of his legs over the course of 90 minutes - and collapsed at full time.
Even Lionel Messi, the master of calculated walking in the name of preventing fatigue, seemed a little hesitant. But for all of the exhaustion, Monday's night's result - a 2-2 draw against Palmeiras, setting up a Club World Cup Round of 16 matchup with PSG - perfectly suited an Inter Miami side that might not have been here just nine days before.
The Herons started their CWC campaign with the kind of tepid draw that suggested they might finish last in Group A. Instead, they clinched the second spot, and were some shoddy late defending away from winning the group comfortably. Indeed, now it's mission accomplished for the one MLS side that always been expected to move on.
Over the course of a week, Miami has seemingly grown up, embraced the role of the scrappy underdog, and carried the flag for Major League Soccer at the Club World Cup.
"It is historic for MLS to have a team through to the last 16," manager Javier Mascherano said after the game. "We are one of the best 16 teams in the world so we will look to continue."
