Lionel Messi scored his 12th goal of the season and added his sixth assist as Inter Miami defeated the Portland Timbers 2-0 on Sunday evening to ultimately secure the first victory in the new stadium.
German Berterame added his fifth goal for Miami, who had previously gone 0-3-1 at Nu Stadium, the permanent facility for the Herons that opened in early April.
Dayne St. Clair made four saves to keep him and his club’s third clean sheet of the season and their first since a 2-0 win at Real Salt Lake on April 22.
Portland lost for the fourth time this season, 2-0 on the road, including three of its last five away games. The Timbers were 22-16 overall and 9-4 in attempts on goal.
Messi is tied with Dallas’ Petar Musa and one behind Chicago’s Hugo Cuypers for the lead in MLS. The 38-year-old Argentine has now contributed five goals and all six assists in his last four games as he prepares to play in one final World Cup this summer.
He started early on Sunday, forcing James Pantemis into a close-range save in the fourth minute, and he had his goal 27 minutes later.
Messi started the attack from outside the penalty area, played a pass to Luis Suárez on his left and then made a run into the center of the penalty area.
Suarez fed Telasco Segovia, who played a clever backheel into Messi’s path for an easy finish into the right half of the goal, while Pantemis was kept guessing with a lunge in the opposite direction.
Messi’s assist eleven minutes later was of the vintage type that recalled his best days as an FC Barcelona star and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Rodrigo de Paul’s early cross from the right found Messi, who used his chest to control the ball, laying the ball off to Suárez on his left and then quickly reaching a back pass.
From there he weaved off the dribble into the penalty area, slaloming between four defenders before laying the ball off to Berterame on his left for a first-time finish from about ten yards out.
Published on May 18, 2026
