Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min delivered on the biggest stage of MLS opening weekend, leading Los Angeles FC to a 3-0 victory over Inter Miami CF and overshadowing Lionel Messi in front of a historic crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
A total of 75,673 fans packed the venue for what was billed as a clash of titans to open the 2026 MLS season. With Messi and the reigning MLS Cup champions in town, the stage was set for a showcase event. Instead, it was LAFC’s attacking stars who controlled the spotlight from the outset.
LAFC struck first through David Martínez, setting the tone early against a Miami side that struggled to find rhythm. Bouanga then extended the lead, continuing his strong run of form after also scoring earlier in the week during LAFC’s 6-1 win at Real España in the opening round of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup. Nathan Ordaz added a third to seal a comprehensive result that sent a message to the rest of the league.
Messi couldn’t found much room to operate
While Messi drew the pregame headlines, he found little room to operate against a disciplined LAFC side that combined defensive organization with sharp transitions. Bouanga‘s pace and directness repeatedly stretched Miami‘s back line, and Son‘s presence in the attack added another layer of quality that the visitors could not contain.
The win marked a memorable debut for head coach Marc Dos Santos, who emphasized both the performance and the room for growth afterward. “It’s good to win like this and still have so much margin to progress,” Dos Santos said after the match. “Now we want to play and build the team.”
The coach also pointed to the team’s resilience following a demanding travel schedule. LAFC had played in Honduras on Tuesday before returning to Los Angeles with limited preparation time.
“A very positive thing is we played Tuesday in Honduras,” Dos Santos said. “We flew a very long flight, we had one day of training, and we were able to suffer as a team. That quality of being able to suffer as a team together is an important quality for a team.”
On a night designed to celebrate star power and spectacle, LAFC delivered both while asserting themselves as early contenders. Bouanga and Son may not carry the global label of “GOAT,” but on opening day in Los Angeles, they were the decisive figures in a result that will resonate well beyond Week 1.
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