Inter Miami Aims for Victory Against Portland Timbers in New Stadium

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will attempt to secure their first win at their new stadium as they host the Portland Timbers, led by former Miami manager Phil Neville.

Miami (7-2-4, 25 points) has struggled to win in their last four matches at Nu Stadium, which opened in April. Notably, they experienced a stunning 4-3 loss to Orlando City on May 2, despite initially leading by three goals.

However, interim manager Guillermo Hoyos’ team has shown exceptional form away from home, winning five consecutive matches. He expressed admiration for the determination demonstrated by Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and other key players during Wednesday night’s thrilling 5-3 victory at Cincinnati, where Miami netted three late goals.

“Just think about it, they have the World Cup coming up very soon,” Hoyos said. “There are players who have the World Cup on their minds and nothing else, yet the way they run, play and commit themselves is incredible.”

Messi added to his impressive tally by scoring his 10th and 11th goals of the season, bringing his total to 60 and 61 for the club since joining in July 2023.

This period of success came shortly after Neville was let go as Miami’s second permanent manager, following over two seasons with the club. During his tenure, he achieved a club-best 12th-place finish in the 2022 Supporters’ Shield standings but faced a playoff defeat that same year and a challenging start the following spring.

Now in his third season with Portland (4-6-2, 14 points), Neville’s team appears to be gaining momentum after a slow start.

Kevin Kelsy has made a significant impact for the Timbers, scoring three goals in their last two matches—a commanding 6-0 victory at home against Sporting Kansas City on May 9 and a 2-2 draw at CF Montreal on Wednesday. In addition, the Timbers recorded notable wins against LAFC and San Diego back in April.

This matchup marks the first meeting between the two teams since Messi’s arrival. Neville likened this occasion to his return as a Premier League player for Everton visiting his old club, Manchester United, for the first time.

“The first time back at Old Trafford, I literally just went to the stadium with blinkers on my eyes and tried to perform to the best of my ability for my club and fight for my club,” he recalled. “And then after the game I hugged and kissed and celebrated some incredible friendships.”