Inter Miami Vs Lafc: inter miami vs lafc ends in 3-0 rout as Bouanga and Son outshine Messi
The MLS opening day match between the reigning champions and their challengers finished 3-0 in Los Angeles, a result that carried weight because 75, 673 fans packed the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Lionel Messi failed to register a shot on target. The inter miami vs lafc clash mattered for team form, coaching debuts and the spectacle around the game.
Inter Miami Vs Lafc played at a 100-year-old Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before 75, 673 fans
The game took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a 100-year-old concrete stadium moved in to contain the Messi effect rather than at LAFC’s usual BMO Stadium, and drew 75, 673 spectators — a figure described as record-breaking and the second-highest attended MLS match ever. More than 75, 000 showed up; pink shirts were fewer than expected, and Son Heung-Min’s fans were loud enough to be singled out as having “showed out. ”
Three-goal win built on strikes from David Martínez, Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz
David Martínez opened the scoring in the 38th minute with an assist from Son Heung-Min. Denis Bouanga added a second in the 73rd minute, and Nathan Ordaz finished in stoppage time to seal the victory. The match summary lists Martínez, Bouanga and Ordaz as the three goalscorers. Bouanga’s 73rd-minute finish has been described in two distinct ways in available accounts: one description calls it a trademark dink over 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair into an empty net, while another describes a majestic Timothy Tillman pass from 50 yards and Bouanga heading the ball over Dayne St. Clair into the net.
Marc Dos Santos on his debut, travel and the team’s mentality
Marc Dos Santos secured the victory in his first game as LAFC head coach and said, “It’s good to win like this and still have so much margin to progress, ” adding, “Now we want to play and build the team. ” He noted the team had played Tuesday in Honduras, flown a very long flight, had one day of training and were “able to suffer as a team, ” calling that quality important. Dos Santos also said the side prepared to face the best Messi possible and graded parts of the performance: the defensive or collective work an “A+, ” possession a “B” that can be much better, and stressed that the group suffered together and were smart dealing with many plays.
Inter Miami’s attack struggled despite heavy possession and recent playoff form
Inter Miami CF entered as the reigning MLS Cup presented by Audi champions after storming through the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, scoring 20 times in six games on their run to the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy. On Saturday they kept 68 percent possession but managed only one big chance. New designated-player striker Germán Berterame was largely held quiet, and Lionel Messi did not record a single shot on target; observers noted Messi still drew reactions on virtually every touch and that Inter Miami looked like a team sensitive to the length of the season and the World Cup clock.
Stephen Eustáquio, Son Heung-Min and recent Concacaf form factored into LAFC’s night
Canadian international Stephen Eustáquio made his long-awaited MLS debut as a holding midfielder and was described as central to LAFC’s efforts. South Korean superstar Son Heung-Min supplied the assist for Martínez’s 38th-minute opener and was singled out by fans in the crowd. The result continued the momentum suggested by earlier wins: Martínez and Bouanga had both found the net earlier in the week in a 6-1 win at Real España in LAFC’s 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One opener.
