Inter Miami’s Challenging Start to the Season
In a challenging start to their title defense in Major League Soccer (MLS), Inter Miami faced a resounding defeat against Los Angeles FC, with a final score of 3-0. The match took place at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, an iconic venue located beside LAFC’s BMO Stadium, and drew an impressive attendance of 75,673 fans—marking the second-highest crowd ever recorded in MLS history.
Match Highlights
The match’s first goal came in the 38th minute from David Martínez, with Son Heung-min providing a deft assist. This goal put LAFC in the lead, underscoring their ambition to emerge as a leading contender for the season. After the match, MLS Commissioner Don Garber praised the event, stating that there was overwhelming demand for tickets, showcasing the significance of the historic venue for such a high-stakes match featuring the reigning champions.
Lionel Messi took to the pitch despite nursing a hamstring strain, and his every move elicited cheers and jeers from the crowd. The clash highlighted the ongoing adjustments within Inter Miami, who has seen the departure of key players such as Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to retirement. The team has made some replacements, including forward Germán Berterame and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, the latter of whom faced criticism for a positional error that facilitated Bouanga’s goal.
Goals and Key Performances
After Martínez opened the scoring, LAFC continued to dominate. Bouanga, who had already impressed with a hat trick earlier in the week during the CONCACAF Champions Cup, netted his first MLS goal of the season in the 73rd minute. Timothy Tillman provided the assist, and Bouanga’s deft header over St. Clair sealed a second goal for LAFC. The final goal was capped off in injury time by Nathan Ordaz, who finished off a pass from Bouanga.
Looking Ahead
The loss represents a setback for Inter Miami, who now have a 4-2-0 all-time record against LAFC and are yet to find success in their season openers, as LAFC maintains an undefeated streak of 9-0-0 in initial matches of the season. In their next fixtures, Inter Miami will visit Orlando on March 1, while LAFC will host Real España in the upcoming leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday.
