MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi scored two goals in a Champions League match for Barcelona on April 8, 2009, which was two days after Adri Mehmeti was born.
Only 17 years later, they both had a say in the outcome for their teams on Saturday night.
Messi helped set up Germán Berterame for a second-half goal that gave Inter Miami its first lead in its new stadium, and Mehmeti's first MLS goal in the 77th minute pulled the New York Red Bulls into a 2-2 tie with Messi and the defending MLS Cup champions on Saturday night.
Mateo Silvetti also scored for Inter Miami (3-1-3), which is now unbeaten in its last six MLS matches. Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the Red Bulls (3-2-2), who have one win in their last five matches but rallied to get a point out of this one after wasting an early 1-0 lead.
Berterame's goal looked like it would give Inter Miami some control.
There were no fewer than four defenders within a couple of yards of Messi — two of them squarely between him and the net — as he brought the ball toward the box in the 55th minute, and with all those eyeballs on him nobody seemed to be marking Berterame just to his left.
No shot, no problem. In fact, it was a bit of a bad break for the Red Bulls.
Messi had the ball knocked away but it simply rolled toward Berterame, who one-timed it with his right foot for a 2-1 lead — with the greatest player ever being the first to wrap him in a celebratory headlock after the goal. It gave Inter Miami its first lead in about 150 minutes of play over two matches in its new stadium, which opened last weekend with a draw against Austin FC.
But a pair of kids made sure the lead didn't last.
Julian Hall, 18, set up Mehmeti for the equalizer, finding space near the goal line and putting the ball into the perfect spot.
Messi had a chance in the 49th minute from about 12 yards out. He got the ball near the top of the box, stopped on a dime as Red Bulls defender Matthew Dos Santos went sliding past, flicked the ball to his left foot and tried a shot to the near post. It went just wide as he fell to the turf.
Both teams had goals waved off by offside calls — New York's following a review — in the second half. Messi also had a 25-yard free kick stopped by Red Bulls goalie Ethan Horvath in the 94th minute.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Inter Miami forward Mateo Silvetti falls in the first half of an MLS soccer match against the New York Red Bulls, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi attacks with the ball in the first half during an MLS soccer match against the New York Red Bulls, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Nathaniel Lowe hit a three-run double in a four-run first inning, and the Cincinnati Reds stopped a three-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
New Angels manager Kurt Suzuki was ejected for the first time in the eighth inning when Logan O’Hoppe was called out for interference for not staying in the runner's box while heading to first base on a strike three pitch that bounced to the backstop.
Suzuki had left the dugout in the sixth to argue Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson did not properly execute a ABS challenge.
Elly De La Cruz had three hits for the Reds.
Pierce Johnson (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his first win with the Reds after starter Brandon Williamson walked a career-high six while allowing three runs in four innings.
Angels rookie right-hander George Klassen (0-1), making his second big league start, left in the third inning because of a bruised nail on his right index finger. He allowed five runs, five hits and five walks.
Los Angeles reliever Brent Suter got 11 outs with 39 pitches.
Sal Stewart's RBI single on a one-hopper off the glove of first baseman Nolan Schanuel and Lowe's double built a 4-0 lead, and Spencer Steer homered off the left-field foul pole in the second inning.
Schanuel's RBI grounder and Mike Trout's two-run double cut the deficit to 5-3 in the fourth.
Cincinnati scored on a pair of run-scoring wild pitches in the eighth by Chase Silseth, who had three wild pitches and four walks while getting one out.
Angels RHP José Soriano (3-0, 0.45) and Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (0-1, 3.18) start Sunday's series finale.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Chase Silseth throws during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Emilio Pagán throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Cincinnati, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Cincinnati, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte reaches for Elly de la Cruz's hand to celebrate after scoring on a wild pitch by Los Angeles Angels pitcher Chase Silseth during the eighth inning of a baseball in Cincinnati, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Emilio Pagán, right, and Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson, left, embrace after winning a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Cincinnati, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
