Inter Miami Vs Lafc — inter miami vs lafc: Bouanga and Son outshine Messi in 3-0 season opener at the Coliseum
inter miami vs lafc ended in a 3-0 rout on MLS opening day as LAFC defeated reigning MLS Cup presented by Audi champions Inter Miami CF in front of 75, 673 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The result matters because LAFC, under a new head coach, dismantled the title holders and did so in a record crowd that underscored the global spotlight on Lionel Messi.
Marc Dos Santos wins his first game as LAFC head coach and stresses margins to improve
Marc Dos Santos, in his first match as LAFC head coach, called the victory encouraging: “It’s good to win like this and still have so much margin to progress. ” He added, “Now we want to play and build the team. ” Dos Santos pointed to recent match rhythm — LAFC had played Tuesday in Honduras and won 6-1 at Real España in their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One opener — noting the travel and limited preparation: “We flew a very long flight, we had one day of training, and we were able to suffer as a team. ” He also judged his side’s performance in two parts, saying the defensive effort was “A+” while possession was a “B” and could be much better, but praised how the players “were a team, suffered together, were smart dealing with a lot of plays. ”
Goals from Martínez, Bouanga and Ordaz decided the match
David Martínez opened the scoring in the 38th minute when Son Heung-Min slipped him through and Martínez finished the chance. Denis Bouanga doubled the lead in the 73rd minute; the goal has been described in two vivid ways in match accounts — one description says Bouanga dinked the ball over 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair and rolled it into the empty net, while another describes Bouanga meeting a majestic 50-yard Timothy Tillman pass and heading the ball over St. Clair into the net. Nathan Ordaz then sealed the result by pounding in the dagger in stoppage time.
Inter Miami Vs Lafc at the Coliseum drew 75, 673 and a carnival atmosphere
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum held 75, 673 fans for Matchday 1 of the 2026 MLS season, the second-highest attended MLS match ever and a record-breaking crowd for the occasion. The game was moved out of LAFC’s usual BMO Stadium into the 100-year-old concrete Coliseum to contain the Messi effect. Match reports note cameras everywhere, pink shirts present but fewer than expected, and that Son Heung-Min’s supporters “showed out and basically won the night. ” Several accounts also referred to Lionel Messi as the GOAT on the opposing side.
Miami’s possession didn’t produce chances; key names were kept quiet
Inter Miami CF, nicknamed the Herons, kept 68 percent possession but produced only one big chance and could not convert. Germán Berterame, the club’s new DP striker, was largely held quiet, and Lionel Messi did not record a single shot on target. Match coverage noted that Miami had the ball and Messi still had moments, but ultimately the goals never came for the defending champions.
Individual roles and honours: Eustáquio, Son and St. Clair
Canadian international Stephen Eustáquio made his long-awaited MLS debut for LAFC as a holding midfielder and was described as central to the home side’s effort. South Korean superstar Son Heung-Min provided the assist for Martínez’s 38th-minute opener and was credited with slipping Martínez through for the goal. Dayne St. Clair, the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, was on the receiving end of both Bouanga’s 73rd-minute finish and the eventual stoppage-time strike that sealed a 3-0 LAFC win.
