The 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500 is set for Sunday, with the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ once again taking place on the 2.5-mile oval at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

On this year’s grid, the list of drivers who have won the Indy 500 previously include four-time champion Hélio Castroneves as well as Takuma Sato, a two-time winner who will start on the front row of this year’s grid.

Josef Newgarden could make it a record three straight Indy 500 wins, but the Team Penske driver will have a tough task ahead after being moved to the back of the grid over technical violations during qualifying. Rookie Robert Shwartzman stunned observers by taking pole position for Sunday, while accomplished drivers like Álex Palou (who has four race wins in 2025) and Pato O’Ward are among the favorites. to contend for the Borg-Warner Trophy.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, including start time, how to watch, weather forecast, starting grid, and more.

What time does the 2025 Indy 500 start?

The Indianapolis 500 begins with cars arriving at the pit lane between 9-9:20 a.m. ET. The command to start engines is scheduled for 12:38 p.m. ET, while the green flag signaling the start of the race is set for 12:45 p.m. ET.

What TV channel is 2025 Indy 500 on?

The 2025 Indianapolis 500 will air on Fox, with the race set to begin at 12:45 p.m. ET. Pre-race coverage is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ET.

2025 Indy 500: Live streaming options

Fans can stream the Indy 500 with the Fox Sports app and at FoxSports.com, as well as with Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Watch the 2025 Indianapolis 500 on Fubo

What is the race distance of the 2025 Indy 500?

In keeping with tradition, the 2025 Indianapolis 500 is 200 laps around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a total of 500 miles.

What is the weather for the 2025 Indianapolis 500?

As of the evening of Friday, May 23, the forecast for Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 should allow for a race free of weather issues. The National Weather Service expects partly sunny conditions, with highs in the upper 60s and a faint breeze coming from the northeast.

If the race has delays from some other source, the weather won’t throw a wrench in the works. The only change between the mid-day and evening forecasts has temperatures falling below the 60-degree mark.

Who is the honorary starter for the 2025 Indy 500?

The honorary starter at the 2025 Indianapolis 500 will be Casey Irsay Foyt.

Irsay Foyt ‘will wave the flag to honor the irreplaceable and impactful legacy of her father, Jim Irsay, whose stewardship of the Indianapolis Colts and generous philanthropic efforts had a transformative impact across Central Indiana and the Hoosier State,’ per a press release from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jim Irsay, who owns the Colts, passed away Wednesday at the age of 65.

On top of her connections to the city of Indianapolis, Irsay Foyt is also very close to the world of motor racing. Her husband, A.J. Foyt IV, drove in IndyCar and NASCAR, and is the grandson of four-time Indy 500 champions A.J. Foyt.

Who is singing the national anthem at the 2025 Indy 500?

Natalie Grant, a nine-time Grammy nominee, will sing the national anthem at the 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500.

Grant topped the Christian Billboard charts with her 2023 album ‘Seasons,’ and has worked with Dolly Parton and CeCe Winans during a nearly 30-year career.

Who is pace car driver for the 2025 Indy 500?

Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan will drive the pace car at the 2025 Indianapolis 500. Strahan, now a host on ‘Good Morning America’ and a member of Fox’s NFL studio team, will drive a white 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 to pace the cars before the rolling start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Who won last year’s Indy 500?

Josef Newgarden claimed last year’s Indianapolis 500 in incredibly dramatic fashion. The Team Penske driver lost and regained the lead on a wild battle with Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward on the final lap, making him the first driver in 22 years to win consecutive editions of the Indy 500.

Who won the pole for the 2025 Indy 500?

Prema Racing driver Robert Shwartzman is in pole position for the 2025 Indianapolis 500, the first rookie to qualify first since 1983. The Russian-Israeli driver posted a four-lap average speed of 232.790 miles-per-hour, nosing ahead of two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato.

Indy 500 2025: Lineup, starting grid

The Indianapolis 500 starting grid was set after qualifying was completed last week. The grid will include 11 rows of three, with Robert Shwartzman, Takuma Sato, and Pato O’Ward on the front row.

(Car number in parentheses, followed by driver, team, manufacturer; R=rookie; W=former winner; *=grid penalty for technical infractions)

(83) Robert Shwartzman (R), Prema Racing, Chevrolet
(75) Takuma Sato (W), Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda
(5) Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
(9) Scott Dixon (W), Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda
(60) Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Honda
(10) Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda
(4) David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet
(7) Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
(28) Marcus Ericsson (W), Andretti Global, Honda
(3) Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, Chevrolet
(76) Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Chevrolet
(20) Alexander Rossi (W), Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet
(8) Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda
(33) Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet
(14) Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet
(30) Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda
(77) Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Chevrolet
(21) Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet
(17) Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
(45) Louis Foster (R), Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda
(90) Callum Ilott, Prema Racing, Chevrolet
(06) Helio Castroneves (W), Meyer Shank Racing, Honda
(27) Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, Honda
(6) Nolan Siegel (R), Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
(23) Ryan Hunter-Reay (W), Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, Chevrolet
(24) Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, Chevrolet
(26) Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Honda
(15) Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Honda
(98) Marco Andretti, Andretti Global, Honda
(66) Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, Honda
(18) Rinus Veekay, Dale Coyne Racing, Honda
(2) Josef Newgarden (W), Team Penske, Chevrolet*
(12) Will Power (W), Team Penske, Chevrolet*

NEW YORK – The sounds heard at the end of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals echoed the reality of what the New York Knicks now face.

They’re going to Indianapolis down 0-2 in their best-of-seven series against the Indiana Pacers after a 114-109 defeat on Friday night.

Shocked. Frustrated. Disappointed. At this point any adjective will do to describe the dejection of Knicks players, coaches and the fans, who were packing the streets of midtown Manhattan just one week ago in glorious excitement, leaving Madison Square Garden.

It was the first time in Knicks history they lost the first two games in a series at home. They will need to win four of the next five if they don’t want to be vacationing in June without a championship. The last team to come back from a 2-0 series hole was …. these very Pacers, last year against, you guessed it, the Knicks.

‘There are a lot of traps here. You cannot assume going home is gonna be easier. It never is,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said, reminding his team this is only “day 3 of 13 days,” referring to how many days a seven-game series would last. “We are going to have to keep concentrating on our process, making it hard on them.”

‘We haven’t done anything. We have so much work to do, and we haven’t even played our best,” added Pascal Siakam.

But Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had a postgame look of searching. He summed up the task at hand in the most coachspeak way he possibly could.

“We just didn’t find a way to win,” Thibodeau said. “We just have to make better plays, more winning plays.”

If New York wants to make this a competitive series, it better start finding those winning plays – starting on Sunday in Game 3 (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

The defense that let the Knicks down in a Game 1 overtime loss was improved … except for keeping Siakam in check. He had 11 first-quarter points and finished with 39 points, leading five starters in double figures for Indiana, which has won its last six road playoff games.

“Special game,” Carlisle said of Siakam. “In the first half, he was the guy that got us going and got us through some difficult stretches.”

With the score tied at 81 entering the fourth quarter, it was the Pacers who showed fight down the stretch. Siakam’s 3-pointer with nine minutes left pushed the lead to nine. The Knicks got as close as 110-109 with 14 seconds left, but again couldn’t make the winning plays.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each added 20 points, but it was Towns’ absence in the fourth quarter that raised eyebrows.

Thibodeau was asked why Towns didn’t play much in the final 12 minutes.

“We get in a hole, and the group that was in there gave us a chance, searching for a way to win,” he said.

That group included center Mitchell Robinson, who had six points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes (one more minute than Towns) off the bench. Indiana began fouling him as soon as he got his hands on the ball, trying to send the 52% career free-throw shooter to the line.

Bridges and leading scorer Jalen Brunson were also at a loss for words as to why the Knicks find themselves down 2-0. They will attempt to become the 35th NBA team to come back from this deficit.

‘I’m not sure,” said Bridges, who played a game-high 45 minutes. “Maybe a defensive thing? Got to go back and watch and got to talk to each other off the jump, be physical off the jump. I think maybe we’re playing a little too soft beginning of halves. Just gotta finish games. That’s pretty much it.”

Brunson, who had 36 points and 11 assists, says he has the utmost confidence they can come back.

“Collectively, we have to get it together,” Brunson said. “We have been in a position where we were counted out and found a way to win. We are in the conference finals. Nothing else matters right now. “

John Cena and Jey Uso earned victories in their respective matches at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in Tampa, Florida.

The event also helped set up a tag team match that will feature Cena and Uso on opposing sides of a tag team match at the Money in the Bank in Inglewood, California, on June 7.

Cody Rhodes also returned to the WWE for the first time since losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cena at WrestleMania 41 in April.

SNME also featured a steel cage match between Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre as the co-main event.

USA TODAY Sports provides all the results, highlights and analysis from Saturday Night’s Main Event:

Saturday Night’s Main Event highlights

Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso challenge John Cena, Logan Paul

Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso challenged both John Cena and Logan Paul to a tag team match at Money in the Bank. The event will be held at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on June 7.

Jey Uso def. Logan Paul

While Jey Uso was in the middle of a pin attempt on Logan Paul, John Cena returned to the ring and pulled the referee out of the ring. Cena would then attack Uso before Cody Rhodes made his return and attacked Cena.

Paul used the distraction to get a pair of brass knuckles to attack Rhodes, but was cut off and laid out with a spear by Uso. Uso performed a frog splash from the top turnbuckle and landed on top of Paul before getting the pinfall victory.

Damian Priest def. Drew McIntyre

Damian Priest walked out the door of the cage to earn the victory over Drew McIntyre.

Emergency personnel needed to check on McIntyre after the match, who had his head slammed between two steel chairs in the middle of the ring and was left incapacitated.

McIntyre tried to finish the match moments before by attempting to deliver a “Claymore” kick to Priest’s head in front of the steel chair lodged against the turnbuckle.

WWE announces upcoming events

WWE announced the dates for Evolution and the next Saturday Night’s Main Event. Both events will take place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

SNME will be held on July 12th, followed by Evolution on July 13.

Evolution is expected to feature a match card exclusively featuring women’s matches. The first Evolution event was held on October 28, 2018, at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

Jey Uso and John Cena exchange words backstage

John Cena and Jey Uso shared an interaction backstage following Cena’s victory over R-Truth. Both Cena and Uso were holding their respective championships.

John Cena def. R-Truth

R-Truth mimicked several of Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena’s mannerisms during his entrance to the ring.

Cena wasn’t pleased with Truth’s actions and immediately attacked him as he entered the ring. While Truth managed to get little offense in during the short match, he spent his time with the upper hand using maneuvers from Cena’s move set.

When the champion did regain control, he brought the title into the ring with the intention to use it against his opponent. While Cena didn’t use it during the match, it was enough to distract the referee and allow him to kick Truth in the groin behind the official’s back and win the match.

After the match was decided, Cena used the title to lay out Truth in the middle of the ring.

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Chad Gable announced

El Hijo del Vikingo will make his WWE in-ring debut against Chad Gable when the WWE comes to Inglewood for Worlds Collide on June 7th.

El Hijo del Vikingo competes under the AAA promotion and is a former AAA Mega Champion.

TKO Group Holdings, which owns WWE, announced in April that it had acquired a majority stake in the Mexican wrestling promotion.

WWE legends in the crowd at Saturday Night’s Main Event

Bushwhacker Luke and Jimmy Hart were among the legends in attendance for the event in Tampa. Leilani Kai and Tatanka were also in attendance.

Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda were shown in the crowd before the main event. The tag team, known as the U.S. Express, won the opening match, alongside Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat, on the first-ever Saturday Night’s Main Event card in the Nassau Coliseum on May 10, 1985.

Zelina Vega def. Chelsea Green

Zelina Vega overcame the interference from Piper Niven and Alba Fyre before using a “code red” from the top of the turnbuckle and pinning Green to retain her Women’s United States Championship. Vega remains undefeated (5-0) against Green.

Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker def. CM Punk and Sami Zayn

Saturday Night’s Main Event started in a big way with a tag team match featuring some of the company’s biggest stars. It was Punk’s first match since losing a triple-threat match to Rollins at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.

Bronson Reed returned and attacked Punk while the officials were distracted by Paul Heyman. Sami Zayn was caught off guard by the attack outside of the ring and was speared and pinned by Breakker.

Rollins and Breakker embraced Reed after the match, joining Heyman’s group.

Jesse Ventura returns for Saturday Night’s Main Event

Jesse Ventura returned as part of the preshow alongside Joe Tessitore for Saturday Night’s Main Event. He also participated in the show as a commentator.

When is Saturday Night’s Main Event?

Saturday Night’s Main Event will take place Saturday, May 24 at 8 p.m. ET.

How long will Saturday Night’s Main Event be?

It will be a two-hour event.

How to watch Saturday Night’s Main Event: TV channel, streaming

Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.
TV: NBC
Stream: Fubo, Peacock

Watch Saturday Night’s Main Event on Peacock

Where is Saturday Night’s Main Event?

The newest edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event will take place at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida.

Saturday Night’s Main Event match card

Matches not in order

John Cena vs. R-Truth
World Heavyweight Championship match: Jey Uso (c) vs. Logan Paul
CM Punk and Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker
Steel cage match: Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest
Women’s United States Championship match: Zelina Vega (c) vs. Chelsea Green

Saturday Night’s Main Event predictions

Here are predictions for every match from USA TODAY Sports’ wrestling experts:

John Cena vs. R-Truth

Jordan Mendoza: This match seems like it will mostly be for entertainment value, given R-Truth knows how to bring out fun against anyone, but this could be a critical point in Cena’s final year. R-Truth could try to bring Cena back to the good side and embrace the fans instead of the heel run he’s on. The champion may seem conflicted, but it won’t change the fact this will be a comfortable win against R-Truth. Winner: John Cena.

Richard Morin: The title won’t be on the line when R-Truth challenges his ‘childhood hero,’ but Cena’s identity crisis could reach a fever pitch on Saturday. Cena looked conflicted after R-Truth helped him defeat Randy Orton at Backlash. He later sent R-Truth through a table at the press conference. Could we be seeing the first cracks in Cena’s heel persona? I think Cena wins, but could R-Truth serve as a martyr to help Cena find his way back home? Winner: John Cena.

James H. Williams: While I didn’t have R-Truth on my bingo card as a participant during John Cena’s retirement tour, I think there will be an opportunity for Truth to be featured in a prominent spot and put together a fun match. While the title isn’t on the line, I’m not expecting any sort of surprise result. At the very least, there’s some direction on who Cena’s next opponent might be on the other side of SNME. Winner: John Cena.

World Heavyweight Championship match: Jey Uso (c) vs. Logan Paul

Jordan Mendoza: The only title being defended on the night, this match has the potential to surprise people. Hate him or love him, Paul knows how to deliver a captivating match. He’ll definitely try to cheat his way to victory, but it would be way too early to strip the championship off Uso. Winner: Jey Uso.

Richard Morin: It felt as if WWE didn’t even want to go through with this match after initially teasing it for Backlash, only to instead shoehorn an Intercontinental Championship rematch between Dominik Mysterio and Penta. Still, WWE wants a world title match for Saturday Night’s Main Event, so this is what we get with WWE Champion John Cena not defending. It’s a clear win for the champ. Winner: Jey Uso.

James H. Williams: I think it’s a smart move to have Logan Paul and the general interest he attracts and put him in the ring with Jey Uso. I don’t expect Uso to have his title reign end this early, but I think someone like Paul could be a nice change of pace and provide a different type of match from what we’ve seen with Uso on a big stage against Gunther. Winner: Jey Uso.

CM Punk and Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker

Jordan Mendoza: All eyes have been on what Rollins does with Paul Heyman on his side. With him and Breakker trying to establish a reign of destruction, Punk and Zayn will have their hands full trying to put a quick end to it. But there’s no way you slow down the momentum after the shocking WrestleMania moment. Rollins and Breakker introduce the final piece to their puzzle with another member that gets them the defining victory. Winner: Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker.

Richard Morin: Punk and Zayn will try to be the first pair to slow down the new faction of Rollins and Breakker, who will have Paul Heyman in their corner. Rollins’ group has been terrorizing RAW in recent weeks and will make their presence felt even more if they can knock off Punk and Zayn. But I think the new group holds serve here. The biggest question is whether we get introduced to a new member. Winner: Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker.

James H. Williams: Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker united the night after WrestleMania and have a chance to build some momentum together with a tough test in the form of CM Punk and Sami Zayn. I think Punk could use a Premium Live Event victory, but considering where things stand between Punk and Paul Heyman coming out of WrestleMania 41, Heyman will remain a wild card for how this match could play out thanks to his new allegiance to Rollins and Breakker. Winner: Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker.

Steel cage match: Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest

Jordan Mendoza: Drew McIntyre just finds his way into trilogies. A second matchup with Priest practically guarantees a third one in the future, likely leading to SummerSlam. The two have put on a great display of hatred in their feud, and Priest finally gets past McIntyre after weeks of getting stomped on to even the score. Winner: Damian Priest.

Richard Morin: It’s starting to feel like we could get a trilogy of matches between these two after McIntyre defeated Priest in a Sin City Street Fight at WrestleMania 41. Since then, the two have been at war on SmackDown and even took things to the extreme during a fatal four-way at Backlash. If we are getting a third match after this, it only makes sense for Priest to win this one. Winner: Damian Priest.

James H. Williams: This could be the end of the feud between these two. There’s been a level of tension dating back to WrestleMania 40, when Damian Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to surprise Drew McIntyre and win the World Heavyweight Championship. McIntyre got his revenge on Priest during a Sin City Street Fight in April at WrestleMania 41. I’d imagine Priest will find a way to get the best of McIntyre in the cage. Winner: Damian Priest.

Women’s United States Championship match: Zelina Vega (c) vs. Chelsea Green

Jordan Mendoza: Vega had a tough task of trying to follow up on the immaculate job Green did as the inaugural champion. It would please people to put the title back on her, but it feels too early to do it. Green’s agents in Piper Niven and Alba Fyre cost her the match and Vega holds on — barely. Winner: Zelina Vega.

Richard Morin: It seems odd that Green gets a rematch so soon after taking multiple defeats from Vega and ultimately losing her title. Don’t get me wrong; I’m here for the Green Regime, but there’s something missing here. All I can think WWE is eyeing Giulia for the title down the line after pinning Vega Friday on SmackDown. Perhaps they want a heel for Giulia to chase. Winner: Chelsea Green

James H. Williams: Vega fell short of qualifying for the Money in the Bank match on SmackDown but quickly found herself back in a match and defending her title against Green after an attack. Considering the backup Green will have in her corner, it wouldn’t be a bad idea if Vega had some of her own. Winner: Chelsea Green.

Saturday Night’s Main Event history

If there was an event that had WrestleMania-worthy matches not at WrestleMania and for a nationwide audience, it was Saturday Night’s Main Event.

As wrestling continued to grow across the country in the 1980s as WWE strengthened its position as the top company in the U.S., Saturday Night’s Main Event was a way to showcase the biggest stars, getting in the ring against each other.

Typically held on NBC, it allowed millions of people a rare opportunity to tune in to watch marquee matchups, and the show was a success from 1985-1992. After a hiatus, it returned in 2006 and a couple more shows took place over the next few years. It returned again in December 2024 and appears to be something WWE is going to try to hold regularly. The second edition was in San Antonio in January.

Will Jesse Ventura be back for Saturday Night’s Main Event?

It’s unknown if ‘The Body’ will be back on the headset on Saturday night.

WWE Hall of Famer Jesse Ventura hasn’t been confirmed to be at the event. The former governor of Minnesota was a commentator for WWE after his wrestling career and was featured in the early editions of Saturday Night’s Main Event. He came back for the show’s return in December and January.

John Cena 2025 farewell tour stats

Saturday will be the fifth match of the year for Cena as he embarks on his final year of in-ring competition. He’s 3-1 so far in 2025 and it will be the third singles match he’s had. He’s 2-0 in such instances.

His matches this year are:

Men’s Royal Rumble: Lost (Royal Rumble, Feb. 1)
Men’s Elimination Chamber match: Won (Elimination Chamber, March 1)
Undisputed WWE Championship match vs. Cody Rhodes: Won (WrestleMania 41, April 20)
Undisputed WWE Championship match vs. Randy Orton: Won (Backlash, May 10)

Aaron Rodgers continues to drop hints that he’s planning to join the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2025 NFL season.

The latest example came at an event with rapper ‘Mike Stud’ in Austin, Texas. Rodgers was part of a question and answer session with the audience when he was asked by a young girl if he would ever consider playing for the Chicago Bears.

Rodgers’ response?

‘I believe there’s a team that might play in Chicago this year on a road trip,’ Rodgers said.

The Steelers are set to travel to Chicago to play the Bears in Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season. Naturally, that prompted plenty of speculation Rodgers was referencing his interest in joining Pittsburgh.

However, Rodgers declined to elaborate when he was asked if he was ‘speaking in code’ about a potential suitor. Instead, he focused on his relationship with the city of Chicago, against whom he had great success during his 18 years with the Green Bay Packers.

‘I love Chicago though,’ Rodgers said. ‘Way more than they love me.’

Rodgers and the Steelers have been connected since the New York Jets released the veteran quarterback ahead of free agency. Pittsburgh’s owner Art Rooney II recently said the team would wait ‘a little while longer’ for Rodgers to make a decision about his future after previously expressing confidence they would sign him.

Meanwhile, general manager Omar Khan has been adamant the Steelers will bring four quarterbacks into camp. The team currently has just three on its 90-man roster.

Towering American forward Michael McCarron was happy to finally shrug off the underdog tag as Team USA slammed six goals past Sweden to book their berth in the final of the International Ice Hockey Federation world championship on Sunday, when they will meet either Switzerland.

With many of their biggest NHL stars traditionally skipping the tournament, the United States have not won gold at thetournament since 1933 and last made the final in 1950, but McCarron said his squad showed in their 6-2 win over Sweden that they were good enough to win this time around.

‘We have a really good team, we have a group of NHL players as well — they (the Swedes) might have bigger names but we’re all playing the same league,’ he told Reuters following Saturday’s victory over co-hosts Sweden, who were favorites to win gold after Canada suffered a shocking elimination at the hands of Denmark on Thursday.

McCarron’s huge physical presence in front of goal was indicative of how the Americans approached the game, battling the slick stickwork of the Swedes with speedy skating and relentless aggression.

‘We try to play from below the goal line and create a lot of offense that way, and I think we did that. We created a lot of offence from below the goal line, we put pucks behind their D and forecheck hard and win a lot of pucks back that way,’ McCarron explained.

‘We had a good game, we played 55 minutes of really good hockey. We had a little bit of a wall there in the third but,you know, they were going to come out hard, and we were able to turn it around after a short little lack of puck play for us. That was really good.’

The 30-year-old from Michigan said that, with the final a little more 24 hours away, there would be little time to reflect on history.

‘(Making the final), that’s pretty cool. I don’t know what took so long for us to get back to a gold-medal game. I think it was 1950 for the last one, something like that, so it feels good,’ he said.

‘I mean, it’s a quick turnaround. We’re going to enjoy this for a quick little bit and go to sleep thinking about whoeverwins tonight, get ready for those guys. So it feels great but, like I said, we still have one more step to go.’

Inter Miami and Lionel Messi were in deep trouble against the Philadelphia Union, but salvaged a point in a wild 3-3 draw Saturday night in MLS play.

Philadelphia, who entered the night atop the MLS standings, held a two-goal lead thanks to two strikes from Golden Boot leader Tai Baribo and a third from U.S. men’s national team prospect Quinn Sullivan.

However, Messi took over in the game’s final minutes, scoring a spectacular free-kick goal in the 87th minute before notching an assist on Telasco Segovia’s stoppage-time equalizer. It was a fortunate escape for Miami, who saw the Union strike the crossbar just before and just after the Herons scored their late goals, but it will nevertheless serve as a boost after Messi’s side lost 3-0 at home in their last match.

Here are highlights of all six goals, including Messi’s, and blow-by-blow updates from the MLS match between the Philadelphia Union and Inter Miami:

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami highlights: Messi goal, assist in wild MLS draw

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: 3-3 thriller at full time

Never bet on MLS, as any league observer will tell you. Inter Miami trailed 3-1 entering the 87th minute, but a goal and an assist from Lionel Messi sparked a resurrection for the Herons, who secured a 3-3 draw against a Philadelphia Union team that entered the night as the league’s top side.

The Union will wonder how on earth this happened, but the answer boils down to brilliant strikes from Messi (who buried a direct free kick in the 87th minute) and Telasco Segovia.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Segovia strikes equalizer, Messi assist

Incredible! Inter Miami looked dead and buried, but Telasco Segovia has curled home a stoppage-time equalizer to potentially salvage a point on the road against the Philadelphia Union.

Lionel Messi has the assist too, with Messi dishing the ball off to Segovia expecting a give-and-go at the top of the box. That didn’t pan out, but Segovia — who has not scored since March 2 — capitalized anyway, burying a curling shot four minutes into second-half stoppage time.

Inter Miami’s Redondo in hot water with referee

With this game now at full intensity, Inter Miami midfielder Federico Redondo might have a serious problem with the refereeing crew.

The Argentine midfielder is booked for catching Bruno Damiani with an elbow, and we briefly pause play as the VAR booth checks the play for a possible red card. However, referee Drew Fischer has signaled for play to resume with no change to the call.

Redondo might be fortunate there, but so are Miami, with Jovan Lukic clipping the crossbar immediately upon play resuming.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Messi scores incredible goal

Inter Miami needs a hero right now, and Lionel Messi might just have sparked a comeback.

The legendary forward buried a direct free kick in the 87th minute, bending his shot over the Philadelphia Union wall and into the top corner.

Philadelphia Union nearly make it 4-1

We have plenty of action going on here. First, the Philadelphia Union very nearly have a fourth goal, with Danley Jean Jacques unable to bury a rebound and Tai Baribo denied after asking for a penalty kick following a tumble in the box.

Meanwhile, all of the following things have happened in roughly a four-minute span:

Jesús Bueno was given a yellow card for a foul
The Union replaced Indiana Vassilev with forward Bruno Damiani, returning to a 4-4-2 formation
Jordi Alba was booked for dissent
Miami substituted center back Gonzalo Luján, bringing on winger Fafa Picault to pursue a comeback

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Baribo strikes again, Union lead 3-1

Just when Inter Miami seemed to be knocking on the door, the Philadelphia Union have a third goal.

A long throw-in isn’t perfectly dealt with by the Herons, with Danley Jean Jacques’ eventual shot clipping a Miami player before bouncing across the box towards Tai Baribo. The Israeli forward may have been offside, but the call on the field is a goal, and a VAR check isn’t sending referee Drew Fischer to the monitor to reconsider.

3-1 Philadelphia, and that might be that for Miami.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Segovia goal called back for offside

Finally a bit of serious involvement from Lionel Messi, who strips Jovan Lukic of the ball and springs a lightning counter-attack.

The sequence ends with Telasco Segovia heading past Union goalkeeper Andrew Rick, but the goal is called back for offside. Replays show that was the correct call, though it was a close one for the Union.

Substitutions for both Inter Miami, Philadelphia Union

Following Tadeo Allende’s goal, we see substitutions from both teams.

Inter Miami went first, with Marcelo Weigandt and Telasco Segovia entering for Ian Fray and Tómas Avilés. That has seen Miami move Noah Allen into a center back role. Jordi Alba has shifted to left back, with Segovia setting up as a left winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

The Union responded by bringing Jesús Bueno on for Mikael Uhre. Bradley Carnell senses that his side might have lost control of the game, and has shuffled things up by going to a more conservative 4-1-4-1 system.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Allende scores for Miami

Inter Miami has offered little, but suddenly have a shot in this game after Tadeo Allende pulls one back in the 55th minute.

It’s pretty simple stuff, as Noah Allen’s cross from the left found Allende unmarked between Olwethu Makhanya and Kai Wagner. Allende leapt up for an easy headed goal, tying him with Messi for the team lead by notching his fifth goal of the season.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Second half underway

Inter Miami has kicked off to start the second half against the Philadelphia Union, with the latter leading 2-0.

Big test for Lionel Messi’s star-studded Herons, who have now given up 12 goals in their last 315 minutes of MLS play.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Messi uninvolved as hosts lead 2-0 at halftime

Halftime has arrived between the Philadelphia Union and Inter Miami, and the top team in MLS leads Lionel Messi and Co. 2-0.

Quinn Sullivan and Tai Baribo have the goals, and both are going to make for ugly viewing when the Herons do video review of this match. Meanwhile, Messi has not had a major impact on proceedings, and the visitors have created just four total shot attempts and 0.29 expected goals.

Lionel Messi stats at halftime

Per Sofascore, here are Messi’s key first-half stats:

Shots: 2 (one blocked, one on goal)
Passes: 18-for-23 (78%)
Key passes: 0
Dribbles: 3-for-7
Expected goals: 0.09
Expected assists: 0.05
Possession lost: 10

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Tai Baribo strikes, host lead 2-0

The Philadelphia Union have added a potentially critical second goal just before halftime, with leading scorer Tai Baribo burying a chance from 14 yards.

It’s another grim goal for Miami to concede, with Indiana Vassilev and Mikael Uhre both simply out-hustling lurking Miami defenders to keep a lost cause alive inside the Herons’ box. Eventually, the ball found its way towards the top of the area, and with Baribo leading the MLS Golden Boot race, this ending was inevitable.

Baribo thundered home his shot, and Miami trails 2-0 as first half-stoppage time is underway.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Vassilev, Fray booked

A brewing dispute between the Philadelphia Union’s Indiana Vassilev and Inter Miami’s Ian Fray has ended with bookings for both players, with referee Drew Fischer having seen enough.

Fray clipped Vassilev near midfield, causing the latest flare-up between the two, who have been jawing at one another since the game’s early minutes.

Inter Miami forced to substitute Yannick Bright after injury

It’s not going well for Inter Miami, and the hits keep coming.

Defensive midfielder Yannick Bright is having to depart earlier than planned, with Federico Redondo entering to replace him in the 40th minute.

Replays show Bright grabbing his hamstring after leaping, and after a moment of treatment, it’s clear he can’t continue. Redondo is a like-for-like replacement, though he offers less of a ball-winning presence than Bright.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Messi jeered by Philly fans

You have to give it to Philly sports fans: they will boo anyone, especially if we’re talking about a visiting team.

Lionel Messi’s appearances on the road have caused some tension in other MLS cities, with home fans sometimes choosing to sell their tickets to fans of the Argentine legend. The reception as Miami has played away games around the country has often been less than hostile.

While there are pink Miami shirts peppered into the stands — this is Messi’s first competitive appearance in the region with Miami, after missing this trip last year during the Copa América — Union fans are very much loudly booing Messi as he takes a corner for the Herons. Some traditions never die, and Philadelphia fans are a clear example.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Quinn Sullivan opens scoring

Inter Miami’s defensive woes have continued, with the Herons doing a miserable job defending a seventh-minute Philadelphia Union corner kick.

There’s no way around it: this is an embarrassing goal for the visitors to concede. Philadelphia picked up on the fact that Miami was not paying attention just before a corner kick, with Kai Wagner quickly passing to Quinn Sullivan.

Sullivan — just days after receiving his first USMNT call-up — had plenty of time as a result of Miami’s lack of focus, and made no mistake with a splendid shot from the corner of the box.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami kickoff: Messi faces MLS league leaders

The Philadelphia Union have kicked off against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in this MLS regular season match at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa.

What time does Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami match begin?

The match will start at 7:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Argentina), and will be played at Subaru Park in Chester, PA.

How to watch Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami match?

The match is available to live stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Is Messi playing? Philadelphia vs. Inter Miami starting lineups

Lionel Messi is in the starting 11 for Inter Miami, and will captain the team for head coach Javier Mascherano:

The Philadelphia Union starting 11 is below:

For Miami, the notable change is that Tómas Avilés has replaced normal starter Maximilano Falcón as one of the two center backs in what is expected to be a 4-2-3-1 formation. Mascherano also appears to be addressing a documented issue with veteran star Jordi Alba’s defending by pushing him up into an attacking role, starting Noah Allen at left back instead. That was the approach used in Miami’s last match, but Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Orlando City means the solution might need more work.

The Union, meanwhile, have brought Tai Baribo back into the lineup after giving their leading scorer a rest in Saturday’s 1-0 road win over Atlanta United. Head coach Bradley Carnell, deploying what will likely be a 4-4-2, has also restored normal starters Danley Jean Jacques, Quinn Sullivan, and Indiana Vassilev to the midfield. Center back Jakob Glesnes is preferred over Frankie Westfield (with Nathaniel Harriel moving to right back to make room).

Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union weather forecast

Per the National Weather Service, conditions at Subaru Park for the game between the Philadelphia Union and visiting Inter Miami should be unseasonably cool, but that should have no impact on Saturday’s match.

Temperatures are expected to hover around 60 during the match, with a 9-10 mph breeze occasionally gusting up to 20 mph. Subaru Park’s proximity to the Delaware River might exacerbate that aspect, but chances of precipitation are virtually non-existent.

Messi stats vs. Philadelphia Union: Inter Miami star has tormented Union

Lionel Messi has scored on just about everyone he’s faced in MLS, and he has done particularly well against Saturday’s opponent, the Philadelphia Union.

Since Messi came to MLS in 2023, he has been available to play in three of four meetings between Philadelphia and Inter Miami. In those games, he has scored four goals and added an assist.

Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union: Historical results, series history

Overall, Inter Miami boasts a 6W-4L-2D record against the Philadelphia Union since Lionel Messi’s club debuted in 2020.

Here is the all-time series record between both clubs across all competitions:

July 15, 2020: Philadelphia 2, Miami 1 (MLS is Back Tournament)
September 28, 2020: Philadelphia 3, Miami 0 (MLS regular season)
April 25, 2021: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
July 26, 2021: Miami 1, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
May 19, 2022: Philadelphia 0, Miami 0 (MLS regular season)
July 14, 2022: Philadelphia 2, Miami 1 (MLS regular season)
March 5, 2023: Miami 2, Philadelphia 0 (MLS regular season)
June 25, 2023: Philadelphia 4, Miami 1 (MLS regular season)
August 16, 2023: Miami 4, Philadelphia 1 (Leagues Cup semifinal)
June 16, 2024: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
September 15, 2024: Miami 3, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
March 30, 2025: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)

Where are Messi, Inter Miami in MLS standings?

Below are the current MLS standings for the Eastern Conference. Where necessary, the tiebreaker involved to separate two teams will be noted after point totals:

Philadelphia Union: 29 points (plus-13 goal difference)
FC Cincinnati: 29 points (plus-4 goal difference)
Columbus Crew: 27 points
Nashville SC: 24 points (seven total wins)
Orlando City: 24 points (six total wins)
Inter Miami: 22 points
New York City FC: 21 points
Charlotte FC: 19 points (six total wins)
Chicago Fire: 19 points (five total wins)
New York Red Bulls: 18 points (plus-3 goal difference)
New England Revolution: 18 points (plus-2 goal difference)
D.C. United: 14 points
Toronto FC: 13 points
Atlanta United: 11 points
CF Montréal: 7 points

In the overall league standings, which are used to crown the Supporters’ Shield winner (a trophy given to teams with the best regular-season performance), Miami sits 11th, trailing five teams from the East as well as all of the top five from the Western Conference. Philadelphia, Miami’s opponent in Saturday’s game, leads that table as well.

Inter Miami recent results: Messi, Herons struggling with form

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are on a poor run over the last month, a stretch that has seen the Herons tumble down the MLS standings and get eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup.

After starting the season with a 5W-0L-3D run in MLS play and advancing with little fuss through the round of 32 and round of 16 in the Champions Cup, things have started to unravel for Miami. While they did survive a Champions Cup quarterfinal against LAFC, it required a comeback from two goals down, and may have been an early signal that all was not well.

Since then, the Herons have gone 2W-5L-2D in all competitions while struggling on both sides of the ball. The Vancouver Whitecaps dumped them out of the Champions Cup by a 5-1 aggregate scoreline, while Miami has also suffered a 4-3 home loss to a middling FC Dallas side before being thumped 3-0 at Chase Stadium by their Florida rivals Orlando City. Over the last seven games, Miami’s goal difference is minus-8, with their foes averaging just shy of three goals per game over that span.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami betting odds

Philadelphia is the favorite to win at home (+120), while Inter Miami is a road underdog (+195) with higher odds for a draw (+260), according to BETMGM. The over/under is set at 2.5 goals in the match.

Messi to join Argentina before Club World Cup

Messi has been called up by defending World Cup champion Argentina for qualifying matches for the 2026 tournament. Argentina will visit Chile June 5, and host Colombia June 10.

Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule

May 24: Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 28: Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 31: Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET

Messi, Inter Miami schedule for Club World Cup

June 14: Inter Miami vs. Al Alhy, 8 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)
June 19: Inter Miami vs FC Porto, 3 p.m. ET (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
June 23: Inter Miami vs. Palmerias, 9 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)

NEW YORK — For the second consecutive game, the New York Knicks were left searching for answers.

The Pacers once more stunned the Knicks on their home court, sprinting to a commanding 2-0 lead Friday night in the Eastern Conference finals with a 114-109 win at Madison Square Garden. All postseason, slow starts in both halves have plagued this team. Friday was more of the same.

The starting lineup — a group that led the NBA in the regular season in minutes played, points, rebounds, assists and just about every major metric — is a combined -50 in plus-minus across the 14 games New York has played this postseason. That clears the second-worst unit by 16 points.

“I’m not sure, man,” forward Mikal Bridges said when asked to sum up what has gone wrong. “I think it’s maybe a defensive thing. … You’ve got to talk to each other off the jump, be physical off the jump. I think maybe we’re just playing a little too soft in the beginning of the halves. Yeah, I’m not sure.”

This, unquestionably, is not the time of the season to be playing soft, particularly on defense.

The Knicks suddenly face a daunting scenario, needing to win four of the next five games, the next two coming in Indianapolis, in order to reach their first NBA Finals since 1999. In NBA history, teams that have raced to a 2-0 lead in conference finals have a combined record of 76-6. And if this is indeed where New York’s season unravels, Bridges is correct, one fatal flaw can be blamed above all others: the Knicks have proven incapable of picking up the Pacers in transition.

Several times Friday, as Tyrese Halliburton or Andrew Nembhard or any other Pacer ballhandler pushed the ball up the court, New York often lost track of Pacers trailing the action, leading to high-percentage shots or kickouts to open players.

No Pacer was more effective in slipping through New York’s transition defense than forward Pascal Siakam, who dropped a playoff career-high 39 points on a hyper-efficient 15-of-23 shooting night.

Siakam scored Indiana’s first 11 points, and two of his first three buckets came in transition; one was a scooping layup in which Knicks forward Josh Hart failed to help Bridges and another was a wide open dunk following a New York turnover, when the Knicks completely lost sight of Siakam in transition.

“Whatever was out there,” Siakam said, “I just took it.”

That beginning set the tone for the rest of the game.

The Pacers doubled up the Knicks on fastbreak points, 14-7, though there were plenty of other baskets on second and third actions, cuts to the basket that materialized off of the Knicks being unsettled in their defensive sets.

“They do a really good job of moving the ball and screening the ball, forcing you into those mistakes,” Hart said. “We have to be more sound defensively, guarding the first action and second action, but also the third. We’re down 0-2, it’s a tough place to be in, but we can’t be having blown coverages.”

That this comes after Wednesday’s game, when Indiana blitzed New York in the fourth quarter with speed and pace in transition, furthers the concern the Knicks should carry headed into Sunday’s Game 3 (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

There is no scenario in which the Knicks claw back into this series without tighter, more physical, more assertive defense.

After the game, the Knicks stressed confidence that they could get there. All-Star point guard and captain Jalen Brunson was the most vocal in expressing that.

“I mean, we’re in the conference finals,” Brunson said. “Like, nothing else matters right now. We have a game every other day. We’re fighting. We’re in a very high-stakes moment. So the mental focus, everything has to be there. There can be no question about it.”

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — Novak Djokovic battled from a set down to clinch his 100th tour-level title by beating Polish sixth seed Hubert Hurkacz 5-7 7-6(2) 7-6(2) at the Geneva Open on Saturday.

The Serbian, who turned 38 on Thursday, becomes just the third man in the Open Era to win 100 ATP titles after American Jimmy Connors and Swiss Roger Federer.

‘I had to work for it, that’s for sure. Hubi was probably closer to victory (in) the entire match than I was,’ Djokovic said. ‘I had some chances in the first set to break his serve, then had a bad game which ended up with the double fault on set point.

‘I was just trying to hang in there, I don’t know how I broke his serve… but this is what happens at the highest level. Very few points decide the winner.

‘Incredible match, 7-6 in the third with a full stadium, beautiful atmosphere. I’m just grateful to clinch the 100th here.’

Djokovic’s last title came when he won gold at the Paris Olympics last year.

The latest triumph comes at the perfect time as the record 24-times Grand Slam champion bids for a fourth crown at the French Open, which starts on Sunday.

Djokovic banged down six aces and 34 winners in the contest, which lasted a little over three hours and five minutes, making it the longest clash of this year’s tournament.

Hurkacz had squandered a 4-2 lead in the decider as Djokovic clawed his way back to clinch victory in the tiebreak with an ace and stretched his career win-loss record over the 28-year-old Pole to 8-0.

With the triumph, Djokovic is the first man to win a tour-level title in 20 consecutive seasons, with his first title coming at 2006 Amersfoort. He is also the oldest champion in Geneva Open history.

Djokovic, currently ranked world number six, will face unseeded American Mackenzie McDonald in the opening round at Roland Garros.

Can Lionel Messi and Inter Miami get back on track after one of their worse stretches together in Major League Soccer?

Inter Miami will visit the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night, with Messi’s club in desperate need of a victory.

Inter Miami has one win, a draw, and five losses in their last seven matches. They’ve been outscored 20-12 during the stretch. They’ve tumbled from fourth to sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference.

This match will be a tough test against the Union, which is in first place in the East standings.

“It’s a difficult time, but we’re going to come through this together,” Messi said after the club’s last match, a 3-0 loss to Orlando City. “Now we’ll really see if we’re a team in difficult times because when everything is going well, it’s very easy. But when difficult times come, like now, that’s when we have to be more united than ever, be a real team and get through it.”

Here are live updates and everything you need to know about the Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami match:

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Second half underway

Inter Miami has kicked off to start the second half against the Philadelphia Union, with the latter leading 2-0.

Big test for Lionel Messi’s star-studded Herons, who have now given up 12 goals in their last 315 minutes of MLS play.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Messi uninvolved as hosts lead 2-0 at halftime

Halftime has arrived between the Philadelphia Union and Inter Miami, and the top team in MLS leads Lionel Messi and Co. 2-0.

Quinn Sullivan and Tai Baribo have the goals, and both are going to make for ugly viewing when the Herons do video review of this match. Meanwhile, Messi has not had a major impact on proceedings, and the visitors have created just four total shot attempts and 0.29 expected goals.

Lionel Messi stats at halftime

Per Sofascore, here are Messi’s key first-half stats:

Shots: 2 (one blocked, one on goal)
Passes: 18-for-23 (78%)
Key passes: 0
Dribbles: 3-for-7
Expected goals: 0.09
Expected assists: 0.05
Possession lost: 10

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Tai Baribo strikes, host lead 2-0

The Philadelphia Union have added a potentially critical second goal just before halftime, with leading scorer Tai Baribo burying a chance from 14 yards.

It’s another grim goal for Miami to concede, with Indiana Vassilev and Mikael Uhre both simply out-hustling lurking Miami defenders to keep a lost cause alive inside the Herons’ box. Eventually, the ball found its way towards the top of the area, and with Baribo leading the MLS Golden Boot race, this ending was inevitable.

Baribo thundered home his shot, and Miami trails 2-0 as first half-stoppage time is underway.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Vassilev, Fray booked

A brewing dispute between the Philadelphia Union’s Indiana Vassilev and Inter Miami’s Ian Fray has ended with bookings for both players, with referee Drew Fischer having seen enough.

Fray clipped Vassilev near midfield, causing the latest flare-up between the two, who have been jawing at one another since the game’s early minutes.

Inter Miami forced to substitute Yannick Bright after injury

It’s not going well for Inter Miami, and the hits keep coming.

Defensive midfielder Yannick Bright is having to depart earlier than planned, with Federico Redondo entering to replace him in the 40th minute.

Replays show Bright grabbing his hamstring after leaping, and after a moment of treatment, it’s clear he can’t continue. Redondo is a like-for-like replacement, though he offers less of a ball-winning presence than Bright.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Messi jeered by Philly fans

You have to give it to Philly sports fans: they will boo anyone, especially if we’re talking about a visiting team.

Lionel Messi’s appearances on the road have caused some tension in other MLS cities, with home fans sometimes choosing to sell their tickets to fans of the Argentine legend. The reception as Miami has played away games around the country has often been less than hostile.

While there are pink Miami shirts peppered into the stands — this is Messi’s first competitive appearance in the region with Miami, after missing this trip last year during the Copa América — Union fans are very much loudly booing Messi as he takes a corner for the Herons. Some traditions never die, and Philadelphia fans are a clear example.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Quinn Sullivan opens scoring

Inter Miami’s defensive woes have continued, with the Herons doing a miserable job defending a seventh-minute Philadelphia Union corner kick.

There’s no way around it: this is an embarrassing goal for the visitors to concede. Philadelphia picked up on the fact that Miami was not paying attention just before a corner kick, with Kai Wagner quickly passing to Quinn Sullivan.

Sullivan — just days after receiving his first USMNT call-up — had plenty of time as a result of Miami’s lack of focus, and made no mistake with a splendid shot from the corner of the box.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami kickoff: Messi faces MLS league leaders

The Philadelphia Union have kicked off against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in this MLS regular season match at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa.

What time does Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami match begin?

The match will start at 7:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Argentina), and will be played at Subaru Park in Chester, PA.

How to watch Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami match?

The match is available to live stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Is Messi playing? Philadelphia vs. Inter Miami starting lineups

Lionel Messi is in the starting 11 for Inter Miami, and will captain the team for head coach Javier Mascherano:

The Philadelphia Union starting 11 is below:

For Miami, the notable change is that Tómas Avilés has replaced normal starter Maximilano Falcón as one of the two center backs in what is expected to be a 4-2-3-1 formation. Mascherano also appears to be addressing a documented issue with veteran star Jordi Alba’s defending by pushing him up into an attacking role, starting Noah Allen at left back instead. That was the approach used in Miami’s last match, but Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Orlando City means the solution might need more work.

The Union, meanwhile, have brought Tai Baribo back into the lineup after giving their leading scorer a rest in Saturday’s 1-0 road win over Atlanta United. Head coach Bradley Carnell, deploying what will likely be a 4-4-2, has also restored normal starters Danley Jean Jacques, Quinn Sullivan, and Indiana Vassilev to the midfield. Center back Jakob Glesnes is preferred over Frankie Westfield (with Nathaniel Harriel moving to right back to make room).

Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union weather forecast

Per the National Weather Service, conditions at Subaru Park for the game between the Philadelphia Union and visiting Inter Miami should be unseasonably cool, but that should have no impact on Saturday’s match.

Temperatures are expected to hover around 60 during the match, with a 9-10 mph breeze occasionally gusting up to 20 mph. Subaru Park’s proximity to the Delaware River might exacerbate that aspect, but chances of precipitation are virtually non-existent.

Messi stats vs. Philadelphia Union: Inter Miami star has tormented Union

Lionel Messi has scored on just about everyone he’s faced in MLS, and he has done particularly well against Saturday’s opponent, the Philadelphia Union.

Since Messi came to MLS in 2023, he has been available to play in three of four meetings between Philadelphia and Inter Miami. In those games, he has scored four goals and added an assist.

Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union: Historical results, series history

Overall, Inter Miami boasts a 6W-4L-2D record against the Philadelphia Union since Lionel Messi’s club debuted in 2020.

Here is the all-time series record between both clubs across all competitions:

July 15, 2020: Philadelphia 2, Miami 1 (MLS is Back Tournament)
September 28, 2020: Philadelphia 3, Miami 0 (MLS regular season)
April 25, 2021: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
July 26, 2021: Miami 1, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
May 19, 2022: Philadelphia 0, Miami 0 (MLS regular season)
July 14, 2022: Philadelphia 2, Miami 1 (MLS regular season)
March 5, 2023: Miami 2, Philadelphia 0 (MLS regular season)
June 25, 2023: Philadelphia 4, Miami 1 (MLS regular season)
August 16, 2023: Miami 4, Philadelphia 1 (Leagues Cup semifinal)
June 16, 2024: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
September 15, 2024: Miami 3, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
March 30, 2025: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)

Where are Messi, Inter Miami in MLS standings?

Below are the current MLS standings for the Eastern Conference. Where necessary, the tiebreaker involved to separate two teams will be noted after point totals:

Philadelphia Union: 29 points (plus-13 goal difference)
FC Cincinnati: 29 points (plus-4 goal difference)
Columbus Crew: 27 points
Nashville SC: 24 points (seven total wins)
Orlando City: 24 points (six total wins)
Inter Miami: 22 points
New York City FC: 21 points
Charlotte FC: 19 points (six total wins)
Chicago Fire: 19 points (five total wins)
New York Red Bulls: 18 points (plus-3 goal difference)
New England Revolution: 18 points (plus-2 goal difference)
D.C. United: 14 points
Toronto FC: 13 points
Atlanta United: 11 points
CF Montréal: 7 points

In the overall league standings, which are used to crown the Supporters’ Shield winner (a trophy given to teams with the best regular-season performance), Miami sits 11th, trailing five teams from the East as well as all of the top five from the Western Conference. Philadelphia, Miami’s opponent in Saturday’s game, leads that table as well.

Inter Miami recent results: Messi, Herons struggling with form

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are on a poor run over the last month, a stretch that has seen the Herons tumble down the MLS standings and get eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup.

After starting the season with a 5W-0L-3D run in MLS play and advancing with little fuss through the round of 32 and round of 16 in the Champions Cup, things have started to unravel for Miami. While they did survive a Champions Cup quarterfinal against LAFC, it required a comeback from two goals down, and may have been an early signal that all was not well.

Since then, the Herons have gone 2W-5L-2D in all competitions while struggling on both sides of the ball. The Vancouver Whitecaps dumped them out of the Champions Cup by a 5-1 aggregate scoreline, while Miami has also suffered a 4-3 home loss to a middling FC Dallas side before being thumped 3-0 at Chase Stadium by their Florida rivals Orlando City. Over the last seven games, Miami’s goal difference is minus-8, with their foes averaging just shy of three goals per game over that span.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami betting odds

Philadelphia is the favorite to win at home (+120), while Inter Miami is a road underdog (+195) with higher odds for a draw (+260), according to BETMGM. The over/under is set at 2.5 goals in the match.

Messi to join Argentina before Club World Cup

Messi has been called up by defending World Cup champion Argentina for qualifying matches for the 2026 tournament. Argentina will visit Chile June 5, and host Colombia June 10.

Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule

May 24: Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 28: Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 31: Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET

Messi, Inter Miami schedule for Club World Cup

June 14: Inter Miami vs. Al Alhy, 8 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)
June 19: Inter Miami vs FC Porto, 3 p.m. ET (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
June 23: Inter Miami vs. Palmerias, 9 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)