MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi had a goal and assisted on another as Inter Miami won its first game at Nu Stadium, 2-0 over the Portland Timbers on Sunday.
German Berterame also scored for Inter Miami, which had three draws and a loss at its new 26,000-seat stadium before Sunday’s victory.
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Portland Timbers forward Antony Alves Santos, center, comes under pressure from Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, right, and forward Luis Suarez, left, during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami midfielder Leo Messi, front, is congratulated by defender Sergio Reguilon, second left, after scoring against the Portland Timbers during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Portland Timbers forward Antony Alves Santos (11) comes under pressure from Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul (7) during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Portland Timbers forward Antony Alves Santos, center, comes under pressure from Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, right, and forward Luis Suarez, left, during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami midfielder Leo Messi carries the ball downfield during the first half of an MLS soccer match against the Portland Timbers, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami midfielder Leo Messi shoots past Portland Timbers defender Kamal Miller during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Messi opened the scoring with his 13th goal of the season in the 31st minute. Luis Suárez sent a pass inside to Telasco Segovia, who flicked a pass on to Messi, who beat Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis from 12 yards.
Inter Miami padded the lead on Berterame’s goal in the 42nd minute. Messi dribbled past two defenders and centered to Berterame, who converted inside the left post.
The Timbers had the first scoring threat when Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair deflected Cole Bassett’s shot from the edge of the large area in the 11th minute.
The familiar singing, cheering, flag waving and drum beating from Inter Miami’s organized supporters’ groups “La Familia” were absent until late in the match. The groups reportedly are upset that the players have not acknowledged their presence in the new stadium and remained silent as a form of protest before they began singing in the 85th minute.
The match was the first between the teams since Portland coach Phil Neville was fired as Inter Miami’s coach in 2023, shortly before Messi started playing for the Herons.
Neville is close friends with Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham and told reporters after the Timbers got to South Florida late last week that he was aware Messi choosing Miami would likely mean a coaching change. The club has had four coaches since, including two interim bosses, all of them from Messi’s native Argentina.
“At the start of the (2023) season, I was under no illusions that probably when/if he came in that I wouldn’t be here, and that’s totally fine,” Neville said, referring to Messi. “I understood football.”
Sunday was also the first Inter Miami match since the team revealed that forward Tadeo Allende had what was described as successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee “to address the discomfort he had been experiencing in recent weeks.” There’s no timetable for his return.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
Inter Miami midfielder Leo Messi, front, is congratulated by defender Sergio Reguilon, second left, after scoring against the Portland Timbers during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Portland Timbers forward Antony Alves Santos (11) comes under pressure from Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul (7) during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Portland Timbers forward Antony Alves Santos, center, comes under pressure from Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, right, and forward Luis Suarez, left, during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami midfielder Leo Messi carries the ball downfield during the first half of an MLS soccer match against the Portland Timbers, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Inter Miami midfielder Leo Messi shoots past Portland Timbers defender Kamal Miller during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
ROME (AP) — It’s more than just poignant and intentional handshake snubs from Ukrainian players on the tennis courts these days.
With Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk leading the way, there have been trophies to raise, too.
Svitolina’s Italian Open title over the weekend made it back-to-back WTA 1000 titles for Ukraine after Kostyuk’s Madrid Open victory two weeks earlier.
Three days after one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv in the 4-year-old war with Russia, Svitolina paid tribute Saturday during the trophy presentation to “all the people back in Ukraine who’ve been supporting me, been watching at nights being in the bomb shelters.
“It’s been really heavy for the past couple of weeks for Ukraine. … I feel all the love. Thank you. Slava Ukraini!” Svitolina said after her victory over Coco Gauff, invoking the watchword of Ukrainians — “Glory to Ukraine.”
The death toll from a Russian missile attack on Thursday that flattened a Kyiv apartment building was 24, including three teenagers.
Likewise, in Madrid, Kostyuk finished her victory speech with “glory to God and glory to Ukraine.”
Svitolina’s third Italian Open title came eight years after her previous trophy in Rome. It also follows a maternity break in 2022 that made her work her way back from a ranking that year of No. 236.
She’s now back in the top 10 (No. 7) at age 31 and heading to the French Open, which starts on Sunday, as a Grand Slam title contender again.
In the season-long race rankings that take into account only this year, Svitolina is No. 3 behind only Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka.
Svitolina beat three reigning Grand Slam champions in succession at the Foro Italico: Rybakina (this year’s Australian Open champion) in the quarterfinals, Iga Swiatek (last year’s Wimbledon champion) in the semifinals, and Gauff (last year’s French Open winner) in the final.
“This is one of the toughest draws that I had in a tournament,” Svitolina said. “I’m very proud of the way that I’ve been handling myself and handling the nerves and being consistent.”
Kostyuk’s victory in Madrid — the biggest title of her career — came immediately after she won another clay-court title in Rouen, France.
She withdrew from the Italian Open due to hip and ankle issues but will go to Roland Garros on an 11-match winning streak
“She always has been a very strong player,” Svitolina said. “Now she’s more consistent.”
Svitolina and No. 15 Kostyuk lead seven Ukrainians in the top 100 of the rankings.
“Taking in consideration the war and everything, what’s happening in our country, I think it’s great inspiration for (the) younger generation,” Svitolina said. “It shows that it is possible. Especially for girls back in Ukraine, it’s a great example.”
When Kostyuk beat Russian opponent Mirra Andreeva in the Madrid final, she didn’t shake her hand at the net. That’s been the protocol for Ukrainian players with opponents from Russia and its ally Belarus since the war started. Players from Russia and Belarus have been made to compete with neutral status and without their national flags
In a political shift this month, though, the International Olympic Committee said athletes from Belarus should once again compete with their full national identity.
“The war is still ongoing. Still rockets are going to Ukraine,” Svitolina said. “Those two countries still considered aggressors. For us it’s very sad and very painful to see this even considered.”
While Svitolina has been winning more often on the court lately, her husband and French player Gael Monfils could get more attention at his final Roland Garros before he retires at the end of the year.
“It’s going to be very, very busy, but in the same way I think very special for us as a family and of course for him personally,” Svitolina said. “Just going to enjoy and give it his best shot. The last one.”
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Photos of a girl who was killed are seen among flowers near a heavily damaged house after a Russian strike on a residential neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina celebrates a winning point as she plays against United States' Coco Gauff during their women's final match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Fans show Ukraine's flag during the final match between Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and United States' Coco Gauff at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina kisses the trophy after winning against United States' Coco Gauff at the end of the women's final match at the Italian Open tennis tournament in Rome, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
