The defense of the MLS title by Lionel Messi and Inter Miami started disastrously, with a crushing 3-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC, on a memorable night that left fans questioning the team’s future. With goals from David Martinez, Denis Bouanga, and Nathan Ordaz, LAFC demonstrated its strength early in the season, establishing itself as one of the main contenders for Miami’s throne.
The intensity of the match attracted an impressive crowd of 75,673 spectators, making it the second-largest attendance in MLS history, gathered at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a bold decision that proved to be a resounding success. MLS Commissioner Don Garber stated, “This game would have sold out five times at BMO, but we wanted to do something special. This year is seminal in the history of our sport and a significant moment in the history of our league, so why not come into this historic stadium, bring Miami, our champion, and have them play against LAFC?”
Lionel Messi, even while dealing with a hamstring injury, was the main attraction of the night, receiving cheers and boos with every touch of the ball. However, the Argentine star is still adjusting his dynamics with his new teammates. Inter Miami missed figures like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who have retired, and brought in forward German Berterame and elite goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, whose positioning error facilitated Bouanga’s second goal.
With the victory, LAFC celebrated the debut of their new coach, Marc Dos Santos, who became the third coach in the club’s history. Dos Santos, a former coach of Vancouver, had already led his team to an impressive 6-1 victory over Real España in the opening of the CONCACAF Champions League, and this win in MLS solidified confidence in his leadership.
The first goal of the match came in the 38th minute, when Son Heung-min, with a masterful play, assisted David Martinez, who did not hesitate to take a precise shot into the back of the net. The young 20-year-old player had a slow start to his MLS career, but confidence in his potential remains high.
Bouanga, who had already scored a hat-trick in the Champions League, added his first goal of the MLS season in the 73rd minute, converting a long pass from Timothy Tillman, showcasing his talent by heading the ball accurately before finishing. The third goal was scored in stoppage time by Nathan Ordaz, who capitalized on a pass from Bouanga.
With this victory, LAFC improved their record against Inter Miami to 4-2-0 in the history of the clubs’ encounters, remaining unbeaten in their season openers, now with an impressive record of 9-0-0.
Inter Miami’s next challenge will be against Orlando on March 1, while LAFC prepares to host Real España in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League next Tuesday. The season promises to be electrifying, with Messi looking to repeat past successes and the fierce battle for the MLS crown beginning now.
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