Lionel Messi and Inter Miami got off to a rough start in their MLS Cup title defense when David Martinez, Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz scored in Los Angeles FC’s 3-0 victory Saturday night.
Son Heung-min set up Martinez’s opening goal for LAFC, which emphasized its status as a primary threat to Miami’s crown during a lively MLS season opener between two of the league’s marquee clubs.
The matchup drew 75,673 fans — the second-largest crowd in MLS history — to the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which is next-door to LAFC’s home BMO Stadium.
“This game would have sold out five times at BMO, but we wanted to do something special,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “This is a seminal year in the history of our sport and a big moment in the history of our league, so why not go into this historic stadium, bring Miami here, our champion, and have them play against LAFC?”
The huge crowd got an entertaining match and a good look at Messi, who played despite dealing with a strained hamstring this month. His every move was greeted with cheers and boos by the California fans.
The superstar is still working out his dynamic with his new teammates, however: The Herons lost Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to retirement and added forward German Berterame and elite MLS goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, whose positioning mistake greatly simplified Bouanga’s goal.
LAFC won for head coach Marc Dos Santos in his MLS debut as the third head coach in club history. The former Vancouver head coach and longtime LAFC assistant led his team to a 6-1 win over Real España earlier this week in its CONCACAF Champions Cup opener in Honduras.
LAFC went ahead in the 38th minute when Son controlled the ball in traffic and slotted a perfect pass to Martínez, who found the far bottom corner in stride. The 20-year-old Martínez has started his MLS career slowly, but LAFC remains confident the Venezuelan forward will be a star.
Bouanga had a hat trick in CONCACAF Champions Cup play earlier this week, and he added his first MLS goal of the season in the 73rd minute. The Frenchman, who finished second to Messi in the Golden Boot race last season, converted a long pass from Timothy Tillman, adroitly heading it over the charging St. Clair before banging it home.
LAFC added a third goal in second-half injury time when Ordaz converted a centering pass from Bouanga.
LAFC improved to 4-2-0 against Miami in the clubs’ history. LAFC also remained unbeaten in its season openers, improving to 9-0-0.
Up next
Inter Miami: At Orlando on Sunday, March 1.
LAFC: Host Real España in the second leg of CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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