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Messi, MLS Champs Inter Miami Get Troun 3-0 by Denis Bouanga and LAFC in season opener
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Messi, MLS Champs Inter Miami Get Troun 3-0 by Denis Bouanga and LAFC in season opener

#Messi #Inter Miami #LAFC #MLS #Soccer #Season Opener #Title Defense #David Martinez

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Inter Miami began their MLS Cup title defense with a 3-0 loss to LAFC
  • The match drew the second-largest crowd in MLS history at 75,673
  • Messi played despite a hamstring injury while still integrating with new teammates
  • LAFC extended their perfect season opener record to 9-0-0

📖 Full Retelling

Defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami, led by Lionel Messi, suffered a 3-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC in their season opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night, February 22, 2026, as they began their title defense against one of the league's primary contenders. The match showcased LAFC's attacking prowess with David Martinez, Denis Bouanga, and Nathan Ordaz finding the net, while Son Heung-min provided the assist for the opening goal in front of a record-breaking crowd of 75,673 spectators—the second-largest in MLS history. The historic venue, adjacent to LAFC's home BMO Stadium, was deliberately chosen by MLS Commissioner Don Garber to create a special moment for what he termed 'a seminal year in the history of our sport,' as the defending champions faced a team that has emerged as their main challenger. Despite the setback, Inter Miami's star player Lionel Messi participated in the match despite nursing a strained hamstring, though he's still adjusting to new teammates following the retirements of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, with goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair's positioning error particularly contributing to Bouanga's goal. LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos celebrated a triumphant MLS debut, continuing the team's perfect record in season openers (now 9-0-0) and extending their unbeaten streak against Inter Miami to 4-2-0 in the clubs' history.

🏷️ Themes

Soccer, Title Defense, Rivalry

📚 Related People & Topics

Inter Miami CF

American soccer club in Miami, Florida

Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami (lit. 'Miami International Football Club'), commonly referred to as Inter Miami, is an American professional soccer club based in Miami. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami plays their home matches at Mi...

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Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

Argentine footballer (born 1987)

Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Messi has set numerous records for indiv...

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Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer

Professional soccer league in the United States and Canada

Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation. MLS is one of the major professio...

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Association football

Association football

Team sport played with a ball

Association football, more commonly known as football or in some countries as soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a pitch. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the b...

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Los Angeles FC

Los Angeles FC

American professional soccer club based in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) is an American professional soccer club based in Los Angeles. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. It was established on October 30, 2014, and began play in the 2018 season as an expansion team.

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Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for Inter Miami CF:

👤 Lionel Messi 9 shared
🌐 Los Angeles FC 4 shared
🌐 Major League Soccer 3 shared
👤 Denis Bouanga 2 shared
🏢 C.F. Monterrey 1 shared
View full profile

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

This match highlights LAFC's strength as a major contender for the MLS Cup and raises questions about Inter Miami's ability to defend their title with a reshaped roster. The record-breaking attendance demonstrates the growing popularity and commercial appeal of MLS, especially when featuring global stars like Lionel Messi. The result sets an early tone for the season and intensifies the rivalry between two of the league's most high-profile clubs.

Context & Background

  • Inter Miami are the defending MLS Cup champions
  • Lionel Messi played despite a recent hamstring strain
  • Inter Miami lost key players Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to retirement
  • LAFC's Denis Bouanga was the MLS Golden Boot runner-up last season
  • The match drew 75,673 fans, the second-largest crowd in MLS history

What Happens Next

Inter Miami will play their next MLS match away at Orlando on March 1. LAFC will host Real España for the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup tie on Tuesday, seeking to advance after a first-leg victory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of the match?

LAFC defeated Inter Miami 3-0.

Who scored for LAFC?

David Martinez, Denis Bouanga, and Nathan Ordaz scored for LAFC.

Where was the match played?

The match was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Did Lionel Messi play in the game?

Yes, Lionel Messi played despite dealing with a hamstring strain.

Original Source
- No Data Available - BROWSE BY SPORTS & TEAMS PLAYERS SHOWS PERSONALITIES TOPICS Built on MLS MLS Messi, MLS Champs Inter Miami Get Troun 3-0 by Denis Bouanga and LAFC in season opener Published Feb. 22, 2026 12:19 a.m. ET share facebook x reddit link 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 ...
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