Lafc Vs Inter Miami: Messi Cleared For Opener, But Son’s LAFC Dominates in 3-0 Statement
In the headline fixture of opening weekend, lafc vs inter miami combined a high-profile pregame fitness update — Lionel Messi was confirmed fit and available — with a decisive on-field result as LAFC beat Inter Miami 3-0 on Saturday night.
Lafc Vs Inter Miami: The buildup — fitness, squad news and stakes
Messi’s availability for the season opener was confirmed after he had suffered a muscle strain in his left hamstring during a preseason friendly against Barcelona SC on February 7; he started that friendly but left the pitch in the 58th minute to watch from the sidelines. The Inter Miami head coach said Messi had returned to training at the same level as his teammates and would be available for selection. Inter Miami also adjusted its preseason schedule, moving the final friendly against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico from Feb. 13 to Feb. 26.
The coach emphasized that all players who traveled with the team to California would be available for selection, singling out newly signed Designated Player Germán Berterame and now-permanent Tadeo Allende. He also warned that the club expected a difficult game against LAFC and described the ideal Inter Miami approach as controlling possession and preventing rapid Los Angeles transitions.
Inter Miami enter the new campaign as the reigning MLS champions, having lifted the 2025 MLS Cup by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps, and will compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup in addition to the MLS regular season. Commentators Herculez Gomez and Mau Pedroza were split between Inter Miami and LAFC for the winners of the 2026 MLS Cup.
LAFC’s matchday setup and injury picture
LAFC arrived with major attacking firepower on paper. Son Heung-min, Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suárez, Germán Berterame, Stephen Eustáquio and Denis Bouanga were all listed among the star attractions expected to draw a large crowd to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Pre-match projections had estimated some 70, 000 fans would cram into the venue.
LAFC’s focus was described as continued growth under new manager Marc Dos Santos. The club had already shown sharp form in regional competition, posting a 6–1 win over Real España in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and came into the opener fresh from a mid-week Champions Cup trip to Honduras.
Availability notes: LAFC were understood to be missing center back Aaron Long, who is working his way back from an Achilles tendon rupture, and new signing Jacob Shaffelburg, who was recovering from surgery on a hernia. A predicted LAFC lineup envisioned a 4-2-3-1 with Lloris; Palencia, Porteous, Tafari, Hollingshead; Eustáquio, Delgado; Martínez, Tillman, Bouanga; Son. David Martínez was expected to partner Son and Bouanga in a front three, with Eustáquio, Mark Delgado and Tim Tillman in midfield. Son had arrived buoyed by a summer 2025 move from Tottenham Hotspur that produced 16 goals and assists in just 13 outings.
Match report: Son stars as LAFC run out 3-0 winners
On the night, Son Heung-min was the decisive figure as LAFC produced a comfortable 3-0 victory over Inter Miami. Son set up the first-half strike for David Martínez, then Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz completed the scoring to seal the result.
The game was moved to the cavernous Memorial Coliseum to accommodate demand; roughly 76, 000 fans attended, a figure noted as the second-largest attendance in league history. The move was framed around accommodating the two best-known players in MLS; the league commissioner said the usual LAFC stadium could have sold out multiple times over.
Messi’s night: fitness, involvement and key incidents
Messi, whose training had been limited since the hamstring strain two weeks earlier, struggled to impose himself. He failed to register a shot on target despite Inter Miami dominating possession at times, and he frequently lost the ball under tight marking. Messi had a first genuine chance that flashed inches wide, and after halftime he fired another effort just over the crossbar.
A physical moment around the hour mark saw Messi collide face-first with the back of Ryan Porteous and remain on the turf for about a minute before getting up and continuing.
How the goals came and what it means
LAFC’s opener arrived when Rodrigo De Paul was robbed near the centre circle, the ball found Son, and Son slid it to Martínez who curled a first-time effort around the keeper. Later, a long looping pass from Tim Tillman found Bouanga, who headed on, rounded the keeper and scored. Earlier in the match Bouanga had been dangerous, playing through for a one-on-one chance that did not convert.
The result underlined LAFC’s attacking cohesion and gave the new season a statement win over the reigning champions. For Inter Miami, the match combined the relief that Messi was available with the reality that availability did not translate into the desired result on the night.
Context and next steps
The opener served as both a high-profile showcase and an early competitive test: Inter Miami began its title defense 78 days after being crowned MLS Cup champions in Fort Lauderdale’s December heat, and both clubs now move forward into overlapping domestic and continental campaigns. Details about upcoming matches and squad rotations were unclear in the provided context; schedule changes and selection choices may evolve.
