SUNDAY NIGHT SOCCER: CAN MIAMI FINALLY WIN AT HOME?
Inter Miami host Portland Timbers in Matchday 14 — and the Nu Stadium curse is the real storyline
Inter Miami arrive at Sunday’s 6 PM ET kickoff against the Portland Timbers as one of MLS’s most dangerous road teams — and one of its most puzzling home sides. The Herons are flying: back-to-back road wins, Messi in the form of his life, and a Golden Boot race heating up heading into the World Cup pause. The only thing missing? A single win at their brand-new Nu Stadium.
📊 Where Both Teams Stand
The table tells a clear story heading into Matchday 14.
| Club | Conference Pos. | GP | W-D-L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inter Miami | 2nd East | 13 | 7-4-2 | 31 | 24 | 25 |
| Portland Timbers | 12th West | 12 | 4-2-6 | 21 | 23 | 14 |
Miami trail Eastern Conference leaders Nashville by just two points. Portland sit two points below the playoff line in the West — a team with flashes of quality but no consistency.
🏟️ The Nu Stadium Curse
This is the defining subplot of Sunday’s match. Inter Miami opened their gleaming new Nu Stadium last month and have yet to win there — 0W-3D-1L in four attempts, including a painful 4-3 Florida Derby loss to Orlando City.
The road version of this team is almost unrecognizable. A 4-2 win at Toronto followed by a 5-3 demolition of FC Cincinnati on Wednesday — Miami have scored 12 goals across their last three regular-season matches. The challenge now is replicating that form in front of their own fans.
A win Sunday would be Miami’s first at Nu Stadium and their longest winning run of the 2026 season (three straight).
⭐ Players to Watch
Inter Miami
- Lionel Messi — The headliner. 11 goals and 5 assists this season, now the fastest player in MLS history to 100 goal contributions. Scored a brace at Cincinnati midweek and is firmly in the Golden Boot race.
- Rodrigo De Paul — Messi’s Argentina teammate has quietly become one of the league’s best midfielders: 3G/7A on the season, with two straight multi-assist games.
- Germán Berterame — Miami’s marquee winter signing has 4G/3A in 13 appearances and is pushing for a spot on Mexico’s World Cup roster.
- Luis Suárez — Back in the starting lineup after a slow patch, with 1G/3A in his last three starts.
Portland Timbers
- Kevin Kelsy — The Venezuelan striker is Portland’s engine right now: 4G/2A in his last four matches, 5G/3A on the season. He orchestrated the historic 6-0 rout of Sporting KC.
- David Da Costa — The fellow Designated Player is heating up with three assists in his last two games.
- Kristoffer Velde — The Norwegian DP forward joined on a big-money deal in August 2025 and has 4G/2A this season.
- Cole Bassett — The USMNT midfielder (acquired from Colorado Rapids for up to $3.7M) has 2G/3A in his debut Portland season.
🏥 Injury Report
| Player | Club | Status | Issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tadeo Allende | Inter Miami | OUT | Sore knee |
| Noah Allen | Inter Miami | Doubtful | Adductor injury |
| Omir Fernandez | Portland | Questionable | Sore foot |
🔢 Key Numbers & Context
- Portland have never earned an away point in MLS against a Florida-based club.
- Miami have scored in nine consecutive MLS matches.
- Portland have conceded in 11 of their 12 games this season — their only clean sheet came against bottom side Sporting KC.
- Miami have conceded 3+ goals in three straight regular-season matches — but countered by scoring 12 times across those same games.
- Portland have failed to win consecutive matches at any point this season.
- The only previous time these teams met in Miami was 2022 at Chase Stadium — Miami won 2-1.
💡 The Bottom Line
On paper, this should be Miami’s day. Portland are inconsistent, defensively porous, and have never taken points from a Florida club on the road. Messi is in the form of his life heading into a World Cup summer, De Paul is playing some of the best soccer of his career, and the Herons have momentum after two straight road demolitions.
The one wildcard is Nu Stadium itself — Miami simply haven’t found their home form yet, and Portland’s Kevin Kelsy is dangerous enough to punish any defensive lapses. But the talent gap is significant. The Nu Stadium curse ends Sunday.
Kickoff: Sunday, May 17 | 6:00 PM ET | Nu Stadium, Miami
Sources:
- — MLS.com — Inter Miami vs. Portland Timbers: What to Know, MD14
- — Sports Mole — Inter Miami vs. Portland Preview, Team News & Lineups
- — Squawka — Inter Miami vs. Portland Timbers Predictions, Picks & Odds
