LAFC Dominates Messi's Inter Miami 3-0 in Record MLS Opener

With 75,673 watching firsthand inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Black & Gold forwards David Martínez (38'), Denis Bouanga (73'), and Nathan Ordaz (90+4') scored for the home side, securing LAFC's ninth win in a regular-season opener in its nine seasons of play in MLS, extending its league record for consecutive wins in season openers (9W-0L-0D).

The highly anticipated matchup of reigning MLS MVP Lionel Messi against LAFC's global star Son Heung-Min evolved into a story of LAFC's multi-pronged attacking pressure dismantling a Miami defense that included several new faces and was playing its first competitive match of 2026, LAFC reports.

In the sixth minute, a line-breaking pass from Bouanga gave Son a free run on goal, with the South Korean forward rounding new Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and passing to Bouanga on the doorstep before St. Clair parried Bouanga's shot over the bar. Bouanga created close danger on his own in the tenth minute, then a Son free kick in the 14th minute (after Martinez drew a foul) hit the Inter Miami wall from 18 yards out.

LAFC broke through 22 minutes later, when new midfielder Stephen Eustaquio pinged a loose ball directly to the feet of Son atop Miami's penalty area, allowing Son to set up a sprinting Martinez for a left-footed finish that made the score 1-0 at the half-time.

The defending MLS Cup champions, Inter Miami, began the second half intent on equalising. Halftime substitute Facundo Mura ran onto a Messi ball and sent a cross from the right wing toward the mouth of LAFC's goal that recently acquired striker German Bertarame headed just wide of the near post.

The hosts struck again in the 73rd minute, when midfielder Timmy Tillman lofted a long ball toward Miami's area and St. Clair charged off his line to try and end the threat. Bouanga, however, sprinted past the keeper while heading the ball to himself, then finished with his right foot into an empty net to make the score 2-0.

In the 87th minute, LAFC nearly added to its lead when Son manoeuvred around St. Clair near Inter Miami's end line and found Bouanga on the doorstep, but Bouanga slipped and St. Clair recovered and gathered.

LAFC forward Nathan Ordaz came on for Son at the 89-minute mark and immediately made an impact. With Bouanga penetrating once again along the left flank, Ordaz made his run through the center of the penalty area, finishing Bouanga's pinpoint pass to complete the scoring in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

- IANS