On Tuesday, the women’s college basketball, WNBA and Olympic legend announced that, after 20 years in the WNBA, she is retiring.

In the hours following her announcement, tributes flooded in, not only from those close to Taurasi, but also from around the sports world. This includes her coach at UConn, Geno Auriemma, who also happens to be college basketball’s all-time winningest coach .

‘It’s hard to put into put into words, it really is, what this means. When someone’s defined the game, when someone’s had such an impact on so many people and so many places. You can’t define it with a quote,’ Auriemma said in a statement on Tuesday.

‘It’s a life that is a novel, it’s a movie, it’s a miniseries, it’s a saga. It’s the life of an extraordinary person who, I think, had as much to do with changing women’s basketball as anyone who’s ever played the game.’

Taurasi and Auriemma built the UConn women’s basketball program into one of the sport’s powerhouses over the guard’s four-year career from 2000 through 2004. In four seasons with the Huskies, Taurasi helped lead UConn to three consecutive national championships from 2002 to 2004. UConn was only the second program to achieve that feat, after Tennessee from 1996-98.

UConn went 139-8 overall and 22-1 in the NCAA Tournament with Taurasi. She further etched her name as one of the great women’s college basketball players with back-to-back Naismith National Player of the Year awards in 2003 and 2004.

She currently ranks 10th on UConn’s all-time scoring list and was the first player to finish with at least 2,000 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds in a career.

But the player-coach relationship between Taurasi and Auriemma extends further than the four years they shared in Storrs, Connecticut. Of Taurasi’s six Olympic gold medals, the most basketball gold medals won by a single player – male or female – in Olympic history, two of them came with Auriemma as her Team USA coach. The first one came at the 2012 London Olympics, with the second one coming four years later at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

‘In my opinion, what the greats have in common is, they transcend the sport and become synonymous with the sport. For as long as people talk about college basketball, WNBA basketball, Olympic basketball: Diana is the greatest winner in the history of basketball, period,’ Auriemma said in his statement.

Taurasi finishes her 20-year WNBA career – all with the Phoenix Mercury – as a three-time WNBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer.

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LOS ANGELES — Luka Dončić was playing with emotion and seeking revenge against the Dallas Mavericks, who were visiting the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

Dončić made a statement in his first game against his former team since being traded by the Mavericks earlier this month, recording his first triple-double wearing the purple and gold in a 107-99 victory.

Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters during his pregame press conference that he was hoping his star guard would find a balance while still playing with a ‘killer mentality.’

Dončić was seen staring and often mouthing something in the direction of Dallas’ bench.

Luka Dončić stats vs. Mavericks

Points: 19
FG: 6-for-17
3PT: 1-for-7
FT: 6-for-8
Rebounds: 15
Assists: 12
Steals: 3
Blocks: 2
Turnovers: 2
Fouls: 2
Minutes played: 35

All things Lakers: Latest Los Angeles Lakers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Lakers vs. Mavericks highlights

Lakers’ next game

The Lakers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. The game is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET.

This story has been updated with new information.

Luka Dončić’s potential revenge game is finally here as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena.

It had been three weeks since Dallas sent Dončić to Los Angeles in a trade that featured Anthony Davis and Max Christie.

It will be the first time Dončić has played against his former team since the Feb. 2 trade that shocked the world.

So how did Dončić and his former Dallas teammates react to seeing each other again?

Luka Doncic greets Mavericks stars before tipoff

The Slovenian basketball player remained focused throughout the pregame warmups and had little interaction with members of the Mavericks organization.

In the final moments before tip-off, Dončić was seen at midcourt smiling and hugging various Mavs starters before getting briefly tangled up with former teammate Kyrie Irving as the two jockeyed for position.

Irving and Dončić helped lead the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024.

How is Doncic doing against the Mavericks?

Dončić did not hold back his emotions throughout the first quarter.

After picking up a technical in the opening minutes of the game arguing a non-call, Dončić rattled off five consecutive points, capped by a 29-foot 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 16-14 lead over the Mavericks.

Dončić immediately turned toward his former teammates and stared down the Mavericks bench after the shot.

Dončić knocked down another 3 during the stretch, but replay review showed that his foot narrowly stepped out of bounds. The points were taken off the scoreboard.

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Anthony Davis is back at Crypto.com Arena, but this time around he’s a member of the Dallas Mavericks.

Davis returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday for the first time since he was traded to the Mavericks on Feb. 2, alongside Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, in exchange for Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris. Tuesday marks the first matchup between the Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers since the trade went down earlier this month, and the regular-season game is widely being hailed as a revenge game for both Dončić and Davis.

Davis, however, will have to wait for his revenge.

The NBA champion and 10-time All-Star was ruled out on Tuesday as he recovers from a left adductor strain suffered in his Mavericks debut on Feb. 8. Davis has been sidelined ever since, but that didn’t stop Davis from getting some shots up ahead on the familiar courts inside of Crypto.com Arena, where Davis had called home for over five seasons.

All things Mavs: Latest Dallas Mavericks news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Lakers pay tribute to Anthony Davis

Despite not suiting up on Tuesday, Davis received a hero’s welcome in Los Angeles. The Lakers played a video tribute to Davis on the Jumbotron during the first half of the contest. The two-minute video featured a highlight montage of Davis in purple-and-gold, in addition to a message that read, ‘Thank you, AD!’

Davis received applause from the crowd as he raised his arms in recognition.

How to watch Luka Dončić vs. Mavericks: TV, streaming for Lakers’ game

Luka Doncic’s first game with the Lakers against the Mavericks will be nationally televised on TNT and truTV. It can be streamed via Max or Sling:

Date: Feb. 25, 2025
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles)
TV: TNT, truTV
Streaming: Max, Sling

Watch Mavericks vs. Lakers with Sling

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LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic’s current and former coaches chimed in on his play before the Lakers took on the Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said he hoped Dončić would have a “blackout moment” before a 123-100 victory against the Denver Nuggets, in which Dončić produced 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

In preparation for a game against his former team, Dončić received a message about balance instead.

“I think with him, he is at his best when he has that balance of joy and playfulness and that killer mentality,” Redick said during his pregame availability. “Just perfectly living in the moment of competition and he will find that tonight.”

This will be the first time Dončić has played against the Mavericks after playing his first seven seasons in the NBA in Dallas.

Former coach Jason Kidd said the Mavericks would try to contain him by making it ‘tough’ on him.

No one knows Doncic better than Kidd, who coached Doncic for over three seasons in Dallas.

“He’s one of the best players in the world. He causes a problem when he’s on the floor,” Kidd said ahead of Tuesday’s game. “The Lakers are fortunate to have him.”

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A busy week for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami ended with a relatively easy night at the office.

Messi and Inter Miami played their best game of the young season, relying on three first-half goals to oust Sporting Kansas City in the first round of their Concacaf Champions Cup series, winning 3-1 on Tuesday night at Chase Stadium (4-1 on aggregate score).

Messi scored in the 19th minute, taking a pass from Luis Suarez off his chest, then swinging his legendary left boot to send a goal into the back of the net to start the night.

Rookie Tadeo Allende (45’+1’) and Suarez (45’+3’) scored two minutes apart in first-half extra time to help Inter Miami advance to the Round-of-16 in the Champions Cup.

Inter Miami’s next opponent will be Jamaican league champion Cavalier FC. They’ll play at Inter Miami on March 6, then in Jamaica on March 13.

“Guys like, obviously, Messi and Suarez, they know the moments in the game. They just know. And they operate at such a different level than other players. They’ve done it at all leagues and levels, different types of games — Champions League, whatever,” Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes said after the loss. 

“Against this team, if you can score … it can change the game. But if you let them get ahead of you, the game can open up, because with one chance, they can just break you.” 

Messi played 68 minutes on Tuesday night, shortly after Messi and Suarez were both fined undisclosed amounts for MLS rules violations. Both were found to have violated the face/head/neck area in separate instances in the club’s season opener.

Messi scored a goal in each of the two matches against Sporting KC in the first round, helping the club take a 1-0 lead in the series last week before Tuesday’s lopsided win.

Messi had two assists during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with New York City FC in the MLS season opener Saturday. But his postgame actions, including squeezing the back of NYC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy, warranted action from the MLS disciplinary committee. Suarez also grabbed the back of defender Birk Risa’s neck after the halftime whistle as both players argued on the pitch before teammates intervened.

Overall, Messi and Inter Miami have played three matches in six days and eight matches in 40 days when you include their preseason, which included visits to Las Vegas, Peru, Panama, Honduras and Tampa Bay, Florida.

They’ll have six days until they’re back in action again. They can use the rest.

“We were hit by the start of the season with three games in six days with travel, with some injuries that we didn’t expect to happen. And well, you have to manage all these situations,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said when asked about pulling Suarez and Sergio Busquets in the 81st minute after Messi’s early exit. “The important thing is that they understand this situation — that it’s for their own good and that once they’re well, we’ll be stronger. In the end, it’s about being able to count on all of them for as many games as possible.” 

Inter Miami’s next match in the MLS season is away against the Houston Dynamo on March 2, in the second edition of MLS and Apple TV’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.

The club will also host FC Charlotte on March 9 between their next set of Champions Cup matches.

Inter Miami vs. Sporting KC highlights

Messi leaves the game as substitute: Inter Miami 3, Sporting KC 1

Lionel Messi’s night is over. He’s been substituted off in the 68th minute of the match. He handed the captain armband to Jordi Alba before trotting off the pitch.

Memo Rodríguez goal: Inter Miami 3, Sporting Kansas City 1

Sporting KC’s Memo Rodríguez came off the bench, and scored a goal five minutes later, ricocheting his shot off Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcon in the 63rd minute.

Inter Miami leads 3-1 in the match, and 4-1 on aggregate score.

Luis Suarez goal: Inter Miami 3, Sporting KC 0

Add Luis Suarez in the scoring column. Suarez beautifully played an errant deflection in the penalty area, then squared up for a swinging right kick as he scored his first goal of the season just before halftime (45’+3’).

Inter Miami’s commanding aggregate lead is 4-0 in the Champions Cup matchup against Sporting KC.

Expect some substitutions for Messi, Suarez and some other Inter Miami standouts in the second half.

Tadeo Allende goal: Inter Miami 2, Sporting KC 0

Inter Miami rookie Tadeo Allende has scored on an assist from Jordi Alba, just before halftime (45’+1) to help his side increase its commanding lead against Sporting KC. Messi sent an outlet pass to Alba, who found Allende cutting toward the net for the score.

Inter Miami is now up 3-0 on aggregate score, and should coast the rest of the way.

Lionel Messi goal highlight: Inter Miami 1, Sporting KC 0

Lionel Messi took a ball off his chest, and swung his legendary left boot. Messi has scored in the 19th minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead against Sporting KC in the second leg of their Champions Cup matchup.

Luis Suarez gets the assist for the volley Messi sent into the back of the net to double Inter Miami’s lead in the series. Inter Miami leads 2-0 on aggregate score in the series, with Messi scoring both goals.

Is Messi playing tonight?

Yes, Messi is a starter for Inter Miami tonight. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs.

What time does Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match begin?

The game will begin at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina) on Tuesday night.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match?

The match will be available to watch FS2 in English and ViX in Spanish.

Who leads the Inter Miami-Sporting KC Champions Cup series?

Inter Miami leads 1-0 on aggregate score. Messi scored the only goal in the first-round series.

What score does Inter Miami, Kansas City need to advance?

Inter Miami would advance to the next round with a win or draw by any score.
Kansas City would advance by scoring two or more goals in a one-goal victory (2-1, 3-2, etc.).
If SKC is up 1-0 after regulation, the match will be tied on aggregate score and go to a penalty shootout to determine the winner.

Who does Inter Miami or Sporting Kansas City face next round?

Jamaican league champion Cavalier FC earned a bye to the round of 16 in the Champions Cup tournament, and awaits the winner of Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City.

When is Messi’s next game with Inter Miami?

Inter Miami’s second MLS game of the season will be on the road against the Houston Dynamo on March 2 during the second edition of the league’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.

Sporting Kansas City’s game plan: Slow Messi

Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes has routinely praised Messi before their matchups. Their plan is to deny Messi the ball and not give away possession in transition, but he knows Messi can still enforce his will at any time.

“There’s so many different coaches that have tried over the years, but you really just can’t put a game plan in for him because he’s one of those players, which there’s not very few, that can change the outcome of the game on their own,” Vermes said.

Inter Miami coach Javier Masherano faces tall task leading Messi

Messi is being coached by his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate Javier Mascherano in Inter Miami’s 2025 season. Despite the inherit pressure to help the club reach new heights, Mascherano is taking his new job in stride. It certainly helps having Messi and three other teammates in Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba by his side.

“I’m not under pressure. I’m here, trying to do my best, trying to help the players to have success,” Mascherano said during Inter Miami’s preseason. “We are happy because we are doing the right things. We see on the pitch that we are working (well). It’s important going forward, keeping the same mentality we have now.”

MLS commissioner Don Garber shares excitement for 2025, 2026

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber believes the next two years will be a pivotal stretch for soccer in the United States. The 2025 MLS season marks the league’s 30th season. The FIFA Club World Cup will be played later this summer in the United States, and the FIFA World Cup next year is co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

“The World Cup is going to raise the attention of the sport in ways that nobody ever dreamed of,” Garber told USA TODAY Sports. “And I tell people who don’t understand soccer or MLS, they have no idea how big the World Cup is going to be. … Just wait, it’s going to be epic.”

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is on pace to pass Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goal record before season’s end.

Ovechkin, 39, entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Washington captain scored on Tuesday night to give 30 goals this season. He needs 12 more with 24 games left to become the NHL’s all-time leader.

Ovechkin scored 15 times in his first 18 games before suffering a fractured left fibula during a Nov. 18 game against the Utah Hockey Club. He has scored 15 times since he returned on Dec. 28.

This season, he moved into second place with 20 consecutive 20-goal seasons and set a record for number of goalies scored against in his career. He tied records for game-winning goals and most franchises against which he has a hat trick. And he became the first player to score 200 goals in three different decades.

If he doesn’t reach Gretzky’s goal record this season, he has one more season left on his contract.

Here’s where Ovechkin stands in his chase of Gretzky’s goal record:

OVECHKIN VS. GRETZKY: See how the superstars compare

How many career goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin has 883 career goals.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin need to pass Wayne Gretzky?

Ovechkin needs 12 goals to break Gretzky’s record.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have this season?

Ovechkin has 30 goals and 17 assists in 42 games. Factoring in the 16 games he missed, that is a 47-goal pace, giving him a chance to break the record this season.

What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?

Ovechkin had a goal on four shots in a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. It was a power-play goal from the left face-off circle, but not in his typical way because it was on a rush. The goal was his 30th of the season. Ovechkin joins Gordie Howe, Johnny Bucyk and Teemu Selanne as the only NHL players to score 30 goals at age 39 or older.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?

The Capitals play Thursday, Feb. 27, at home against St. Louis. Ovechkin has 21 goals in 27 career regular-season games against the Blues.

Alex Ovechkin goals in 2024-25

Oct. 19: 1 vs. New Jersey
Oct. 23: 1 vs. Philadelphia
Oct. 29: 2 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Oct. 31: 1 vs. Montreal
Nov. 2: 1 vs. Columbus
Nov. 3: 1 vs. Carolina
Nov. 6: 1 vs. Nashville
Nov. 9: 2 vs. St. Louis
Nov. 17: 3 vs. Vegas
Nov. 18: 2 vs. Utah
Dec. 28: 1 vs. Toronto
Dec. 29: 1 vs. Detroit
Jan. 2: 1 vs. Minnesota
Jan. 4: 1 vs. N.Y. Rangers
Jan. 11: 1 vs. Nashville
Jan. 16: 1 vs. Ottawa
Jan. 23: 1 vs. Seattle
Jan. 30: 1 vs. Ottawa
Feb 1: 1 vs. Winnipeg
Feb. 4: 1 vs. Florida
Feb. 6: 1 vs. Philadelphia
Feb. 23: 3 vs. Edmonton
Feb. 25: 1 vs. Calgary

Alex Ovechkin career goals breakdown

Even strength: 558, third overall

Power play: 320, a record

Short-handed: 5

Empty net: 64, a record

Game winners: 135, tied for first with Jaromir Jagr

Overtime goals: 27, a record

Multi-goal games: 178, second overall

Goalies scored against: 181, a record

Hat tricks: 32, tied for fifth overall. Ovechkin has hat tricks against 20 franchises, tying Brett Hull’s record.

20-goal seasons: 20, tied for second

30-goal seasons: 19, a record

40-goal seasons: 13, a record

Alex Ovechkin empty-net goals

Ovechkin has a record 64 empty-net goals, but Gretzky is up there, too, with 56. Ovechkin passed Gretzky in that category last season.

Alex Ovechkin goals per season

Season: Goals, career total

2005-06: 52, 52
2006-07: 46, 98
2007-08: 65*, 163
2008-09: 56*, 219
2009-10: 50, 269
2010-11: 32, 301
2011-12: 38, 339
2012-13: 32*, 371
2013-14: 51*, 422
2014-15: 53*, 475
2015-16: 50*, 525
2016-17: 33, 558
2017-18: 49*, 607
2018-19: 51*, 658
2019-20: 48*, 706
2020-21: 24, 730
2021-22: 50, 780
2022-23: 42, 822
2023-24: 31, 853
2024-25: 30, 883

*-led league in goals that season

NHL’s top goal scorers all-time

The top 21 NHL all-time goal scorers all have 600 or more goals. All of the players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, except Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Jagr, who are still playing.

1. Wayne Gretzky, 894 goals in 1,487 games

2. Alex Ovechkin, 883 goals in 1,468 games

3. Gordie Howe, 801 goals in 1,767 games

4. Jaromir Jagr, 766 goals in 1,733 games

5. Brett Hull, 741 goals in 1,269 games

6. Marcel Dionne, 731 in 1,348 games

7. Phil Esposito, 717 goals in 1,282 games

8. Mike Gartner, 708 goals in 1,432 games

9. Mark Messier, 694 goals in 1,756 games

10. Steve Yzerman, 692 goals in 1,514 games

11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games

12. Teemu Selanne, 684 goals in 1,451 games

13. Luc Robitaille, 668 goals in 1,431 games

14. Brendan Shanahan, 656 goals in 1,524 games

15. Dave Andreychuk, 640 goals in 1,639 games

16. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games

17. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games

18. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games

19. Sidney Crosby, 610 goals in 1,330 games

20. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games

21. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A busy week for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami ended with a relatively easy night at the office.

Messi and Inter Miami played their best game of the young season, relying on three first-half goals to oust Sporting Kansas City in the first round of their Concacaf Champions Cup series, winning 3-1 on Tuesday night at Chase Stadium (4-1 on aggregate score).

Messi scored in the 19th minute, taking a pass from Luis Suarez off his chest, then swinging his legendary left boot to send a goal into the back of the net to start the night.

Rookie Tadeo Allende (45’+1’) and Suarez (45’+3’) scored two minutes apart in first-half extra time to help Inter Miami advance to the Round-of-16 in the Champions Cup.

Inter Miami’s next opponent will be Jamaican league champion Cavalier FC. They’ll play at Inter Miami on March 6, then in Jamaica on March 13.

“Guys like obviously Messi and Suarez, they know the moments in the game. They just know. And they operate at such a different level than other players. They’ve, they’ve done it at all leagues and levels, different types of games — Champions League, whatever,” Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes said after the loss. 

“Against this team, if you can score… it can change the game. But if you let them get ahead of you, the game can open up, because with one chance, they can just break you.” 

Messi played 68 minutes on Tuesday night, shortly after Messi and Suarez were both fined undisclosed amounts for MLS rules violations. Both were found to have violated the face/head/neck area for separate instances in the club’s season opener.

Messi scored a goal in each of the two matches against Sporting KC in the first round, helping the club take a 1-0 lead in the series last week before Tuesday’s lopsided win.

Messi had two assists during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with New York City FC in the MLS season opener Saturday. But his postgame actions, including squeezing the back of NYC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy, warranted action from the MLS disciplinary committee. Suarez also grabbed the back of defender Birk Risa’s neck after the halftime whistle as both players argued on the pitch before teammates intervened.

Overall, Messi and Inter Miami have played three matches in six days and eight matches in 40 days when you include their preseason, which included visits to Las Vegas, Peru, Panama, Honduras and Tampa Bay, Florida.

They’ll have six days until they’re back in action again, and can use the rest.

“We were hit by the start of the season with three games in six days with travel, with some injuries that we didn’t expect to happen. And well, you have to manage all these situations,” Mascherano said when asked about pulling Suarez and Sergio Busquets in the 81st minute after Messi’s early exit. “The important thing is that they understand this situation — that it’s for their own good and that once they’re well, we’ll be stronger. In the end, it’s about being able to count on all of them for as many games as possible.” 

Inter Miami’s next match in the MLS season is away against the Houston Dynamo on March 2, in the second edition of MLS and Apple TV’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.

The club will also host FC Charlotte on March 9 between their next set of Champions Cup matches.

Here’s everything you need to know about Inter Miami-Sporting Kansas City tonight:

Messi leaves the game as substitute: Inter Miami 3, Sporting KC 1

Lionel Messi’s night is over. He’s been substituted off in the 68th minute of the match. He handed the captain armband to Jordi Alba before trotting off the pitch.

Memo Rodríguez goal: Inter Miami 3, Sporting Kansas City 1

Sporting KC’s Memo Rodríguez came off the bench, and scored a goal five minutes later, ricocheting his shot off Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcon in the 63rd minute.

Inter Miami leads 3-1 in the match, and 4-1 on aggregate score.

Luis Suarez goal: Inter Miami 3, Sporting KC 0

Add Luis Suarez in the scoring column. Suarez beautifully played an errant deflection in the penalty area, then squared up for a swinging right kick as he scored his first goal of the season just before halftime (45’+3’).

Inter Miami’s commanding aggregate lead is 4-0 in the Champions Cup matchup against Sporting KC.

Expect some substitutions for Messi, Suarez and some other Inter Miami standouts in the second half.

Tadeo Allende goal: Inter Miami 2, Sporting KC 0

Inter Miami rookie Tadeo Allende has scored on an assist from Jordi Alba, just before halftime (45’+1) to help his side increase its commanding lead against Sporting KC. Messi sent an outlet pass to Alba, who found Allende cutting toward the net for the score.

Inter Miami is now up 3-0 on aggregate score, and should coast the rest of the way.

Lionel Messi goal highlight: Inter Miami 1, Sporting KC 0

Lionel Messi took a ball off his chest, and swung his legendary left boot. Messi has scored in the 19th minute to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead against Sporting KC in the second leg of their Champions Cup matchup.

Luis Suarez gets the assist for the volley Messi sent into the back of the net to double Inter Miami’s lead in the series. Inter Miami leads 2-0 on aggregate score in the series, with Messi scoring both goals.

Is Messi playing tonight?

Yes, Messi is a starter for Inter Miami tonight. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs.

What time does Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match begin?

The game will begin at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina) on Tuesday night.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match?

The match will be available to watch FS2 in English and ViX in Spanish.

Who leads the Inter Miami-Sporting KC Champions Cup series?

Inter Miami leads 1-0 on aggregate score. Messi scored the only goal in the first-round series.

What score does Inter Miami, Kansas City need to advance?

Inter Miami would advance to the next round with a win or draw by any score.
Kansas City would advance by scoring two or more goals in a one-goal victory (2-1, 3-2, etc.).
If SKC is up 1-0 after regulation, the match will be tied on aggregate score and go to a penalty shootout to determine the winner.

Who does Inter Miami or Sporting Kansas City face next round?

Jamaican league champion Cavalier FC earned a bye to the round of 16 in the Champions Cup tournament, and awaits the winner of Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City.

When is Messi’s next game with Inter Miami?

Inter Miami’s second MLS game of the season will be on the road against the Houston Dynamo on March 2 during the second edition of the league’s ‘Sunday Night Soccer’ showcase.

Sporting Kansas City’s game plan: Slow Messi

Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes has routinely praised Messi before their matchups. Their plan is to deny Messi the ball and not give away possession in transition, but he knows Messi can still enforce his will at any time.

“There’s so many different coaches that have tried over the years, but you really just can’t put a game plan in for him because he’s one of those players, which there’s not very few, that can change the outcome of the game on their own,” Vermes said.

Inter Miami coach Javier Masherano faces tall task leading Messi

Messi is being coached by his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate Javier Mascherano in Inter Miami’s 2025 season. Despite the inherit pressure to help the club reach new heights, Mascherano is taking his new job in stride. It certainly helps having Messi and three other teammates in Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba by his side.

“I’m not under pressure. I’m here, trying to do my best, trying to help the players to have success,” Mascherano said during Inter Miami’s preseason. “We are happy because we are doing the right things. We see on the pitch that we are working (well). It’s important going forward, keeping the same mentality we have now.”

MLS commissioner Don Garber shares excitement for 2025, 2026

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber believes the next two years will be a pivotal stretch for soccer in the United States. The 2025 MLS season marks the league’s 30th season. The FIFA Club World Cup will be played later this summer in the United States, and the FIFA World Cup next year is co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

“The World Cup is going to raise the attention of the sport in ways that nobody ever dreamed of,” Garber told USA TODAY Sports. “And I tell people who don’t understand soccer or MLS, they have no idea how big the World Cup is going to be. … Just wait, it’s going to be epic.”

On Tuesday, the women’s college basketball, WNBA and Olympic legend announced that, after 20 years in the WNBA, she is retiring.

In the hours following her announcement, tributes flooded in, not only from those close to Taurasi, but also from around the sports world. This includes her coach at UConn, Geno Auriemma, who also happens to be college basketball’s all-time winningest coach .

‘It’s hard to put into put into words, it really is, what this means. When someone’s defined the game, when someone’s had such an impact on so many people and so many places. You can’t define it with a quote,’ Auriemma said in a statement on Tuesday.

‘It’s a life that is a novel, it’s a movie, it’s a miniseries, it’s a saga. It’s the life of an extraordinary person who, I think, had as much to do with changing women’s basketball as anyone who’s ever played the game.’

Taurasi and Auriemma built the UConn women’s basketball program into one of the sport’s powerhouses over the guard’s four-year career from 2000 through 2004. In four seasons with the Huskies, Taurasi helped lead UConn to three consecutive national championships from 2002 to 2004. UConn was only the second program to achieve that feat, after Tennessee from 1996-98.

UConn went 139-8 overall and 22-1 in the NCAA Tournament with Taurasi. She further etched her name as one of the great women’s college basketball players with back-to-back Naismith National Player of the Year awards in 2003 and 2004.

She currently ranks 10th on UConn’s all-time scoring list and was the first player to finish with at least 2,000 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds in a career.

But the player-coach relationship between Taurasi and Auriemma extends further than the four years they shared in Storrs, Connecticut. Of Taurasi’s six Olympic gold medals, the most basketball gold medals won by a single player – male or female – in Olympic history, two of them came with Auriemma as her Team USA coach. The first one came at the 2012 London Olympics, with the second one coming four years later at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

‘In my opinion, what the greats have in common is, they transcend the sport and become synonymous with the sport. For as long as people talk about college basketball, WNBA basketball, Olympic basketball: Diana is the greatest winner in the history of basketball, period,’ Auriemma said in his statement.

Taurasi finishes her 20-year WNBA career – all with the Phoenix Mercury – as a three-time WNBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer.

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With his March Madness debut not too far away, Cooper Flagg continues to be one of the top players in men’s college basketball.

His latest showing came in a game in which he didn’t necessarily need to be the go-to scorer for No. 2 Duke. He still impacted the scoring sheet, similar to his game vs. Illinois over the weekend at Madison Square Garden.

The 6-foot-9 guard, who is considered the No. 1 overall prospect in the NBA draft, finished with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting with six assists and five rebounds in the Blue Devils’ 97-60 rout of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Given the margin of victory for the Blue Devils, Duke coach Jon Scheyer rested Flagg for the final six minutes of the second half. With the win, Flagg helped Duke improve to 16-1 in ACC play and 25-3 overall on the season.

Duke, who will next take on Florida State on Saturday, is currently projected as a No. 1 seed in both USA TODAY and Joe Lunardi’s latest NCAA Tournament projections. Tuesday’s win over Miami improved Duke’s record against Quad 3 opponents to a perfect 9-0.

Here’s a look at Flagg’s full stats against Miami on Tuesday:

Cooper Flagg points today

Here’s Flagg’s full stat line from Tuesday’s road win at Miami:

Points: 16 points
Shooting: 6 of 9 (66.7%)
3-point shooting: 1 of 2 (50%)
Rebounds: 5
Assists: 6
Steals: 0
Turnovers: 0

Cooper Flagg stats

Entering Tuesday’s game at Duke, Flagg ranked third in the ACC in scoring at 19.5 points per game and eighth in the conference with 4.0 assists per game. He leads Duke in every statistical category: scoring, rebounds (7.7), assists, steals (1.6) and blocks (1.1).

Here’s a full look at Flagg’s season stats at Duke entering Tuesday’s game vs. Miami:

Points: 19.5
Rebounds: 7.7
Assists: 4.0
Blocks: 1.1
Steals: 1.6
Shooting: 48.6%
3-point shooting: 37.3%