LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami got off to a tough start in defending their MLS Cup title with goals from David Martinez, Dennis Bouanga and Nathan Aldous as Los Angeles FC won 3-0 on Saturday night.
Son Heung-min sets up LAFC’s Martinez’s opening goal, underscoring his status as LAFC’s main threat Miami’s crown The opening game of the MLS season is in full swing between some of the most powerful clubs in the league.
“This game is always special because Messi played. There is also (the desire) to beat Miami because of Messi,” Buanga said. “Every player has a very high mentality in this game. It’s high in every game, but maybe this game has a higher mentality than others.”
The matchup drew 75,673 fans, the second-largest crowd in MLS history, to the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, located next to LAFC’s home BMO Stadium. The large crowd celebrated the home team’s convincing victory and watched closely as Messi played the full game despite suffering from a hamstring strain this month.
“This game would have been a five-inning sellout at BMO, but we wanted to do something special,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “This is a big year in the history of our sport and a big moment in the history of our league. So why not go to this historic stadium and bring our champion Miami here to play against LAFC?”
Buanga exchanges uniforms with Messi after the match That’s because the son of LAFC’s star player requested it, he said with a laugh.
Messi’s every move was greeted with cheers and boos from the California fans, but he was unable to hit a shot on target. The superstar is clearly working out a dynamic with his new teammates after Herons lost Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to retirement.
Messi fired a shot just over the bar from Hugo Lloris in first-half stoppage time, but was unable to link up with new signing forward Germán Bertelame under pressure from LAFC’s impressive defense. Dane St. Clair, Miami’s elite rookie goaltender, also made a positioning error in his debut that greatly disrupted Bouanga’s goal.
“They put a lot of pressure on us, but we defended really well,” LAFC head coach Dos Santos said. “I don’t think we conceded any big chances. We had half-chances, but overall… I think the game part today, A-plus. (Our) possession part, B. We can be better and we want to be better, but our players were a team.”
Dos Santos wins on debut 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 Espana in the CONCACAF Champions Cup opener in Honduras earlier this week.
LAFC took the lead in the 38th minute when Son controlled the ball in traffic and made a perfect pass to Martinez. Who strode to find the bottom corner?. The 20-year-old Martinez has had a slow start to his MLS career, but LAFC are confident the Venezuelan forward can become a star.
“We need to push him onto the field because he has strong qualities, but now the mentality has changed,” Buanga said of Martinez. “Last year wasn’t the same as this year, and he knows it.”
Bouanga scored a hat trick in the CONCACAF Champions Cup match earlier this week and added his first MLS goal of the season in the 73rd minute. The Frenchman, who finished second to Messi in last season’s Golden Boot race, deftly headed a long pass from Timothy Tillman past the onrushing St Clair. slam home.
LAFC added a third goal in stoppage time of the second half when Aldous converted a pass from Bouanga.
LAFC has a 4-2-0 record against the Herons in club history. LAFC remained undefeated in the season opener, improving to 9 wins, 0 losses, and 0 draws.
to the next
Inter Miami: Sunday, March 1st in Orlando.
LAFC: Host Real Espana in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday.
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