Inter Miami stunned 3-0 by LAFC at Coliseum in MLS season opener
inter miami’s defense of its MLS Cup title began with a 3-0 loss to LAFC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before 75, 673 fans, the second-highest attendance in league history.
Son and Martínez set tone in front of 75, 673
Son Heung-Min, MLS’ record signing in his first full season in Los Angeles, supplied the pass that set up David Martínez’s opener in the 37th minute as LAFC took control of the Matchday 1 fixture in the crowded Coliseum.
Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz seal the win
LAFC doubled its lead when Timothy Tillman played a long pass over the top that left new goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair stranded outside his penalty area; Denis Bouanga took the ball round St. Clair and slotted into an empty net in the 73rd minute. After Son was taken off late to a rapturous ovation, Nathan Ordaz met Bouanga’s cross and added a stoppage-time goal to complete the 3-0 scoreline.
Inter Miami’s changes and Messi’s difficult night
Messi, 38, started after recovering from a hamstring injury that forced the postponement of Miami’s final preseason friendly in Puerto Rico on Feb. 13, but he struggled to make his usual impact. His clearest sight of goal came in first-half stoppage time and he missed; overall, he did not manage a shot on target in the match. Messi was leading a new-look Inter Miami side missing longtime teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets following their retirements after December’s MLS Cup triumph.
Debutants, lineup notes and midfield battles
Coach Javier Mascherano named three debutantes in his starting XI: Mexico international Germán Berterame led the line ahead of Messi, and Brazilian arrival Micael started in the center of defense in front of Dayne St. Clair. A fourth newcomer, Argentine full-back Facundo Mura, was introduced at half-time for Ian Fray. New DP striker Germán Berterame was largely held quiet, and the Herons managed 68 percent possession but produced only one big chance.
Coaches, compliments and postgame assessments
LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos, in his first game as LAFC head coach, praised his players’ defensive work and preparation for Messi: “When we prepared the game, we prepared the game against the best Messi possible, ” he said, adding that his side earned an “A+” for the defensive part of the game and that possession was an area they could improve. Dos Santos also noted the squad’s recent schedule, saying the side had played Tuesday in Honduras and that the group showed the ability to “suffer as a team” after a long flight. Mascherano conceded the scoreboard was clear: “The reality is that they beat us fair and square, that's the truth, ” and he said his initial analysis left him with the feeling that the result was somewhat misleading while stressing the coaching staff must analyze more than just win-or-lose outcomes.
Context of the night and what fans saw
The game, moved out of LAFC’s usual BMO Stadium and into the 100-year-old concrete Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to contain the Messi effect, felt like a showcase: cameras were everywhere and pink shirts were visible but fewer than expected as Son fans packed the stands. The crowd of 75, 673 was described as record-breaking and the second-largest in MLS history as LAFC answered the hype with compact defending and decisive finishing.
LAFC’s confidence was buoyed by earlier results this week: Martínez and Bouanga had also scored in LAFC’s 6-1 win at Real España in their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One opener. Canadian international Stephen Eustáquio, making a long-awaited MLS debut as a holding midfielder, was cited as central to LAFC’s effort, while Dayne St. Clair — referenced as Miami’s new goalkeeper and the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year — was left exposed on Bouanga’s goal.
With the opener complete and LAFC taking three points from the season’s first match, Inter Miami will regroup under Mascherano after a heavy defeat; the team’s immediate schedule and next confirmed fixture are unclear in the provided context.
