Dennis Bouanga and Son Heung-min were on the biggest stage of MLS’s opening weekend, leading Los Angeles FC to a 3-0 victory over Inter Miami CF and outsmarting Lionel Messi in front of a historic crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
A total of 75,673 fans packed the venue for the match, which was billed as the clash between the giants to open the 2026 MLS season. With Messi and the reigning MLS Cup champions in town, the stage is set for a showcase event. Instead, it was LAFC’s attacking stars who controlled the spotlight from the start.
Dennis Bouanga and Son Heung-min can’t stop smiling before playing against Messi
LAFC took the lead with a goal from David Martinez and set the tone early against a Miami team that struggled to find its rhythm. Bouanga then extended his lead and continued his good form, scoring earlier in the week in LAFC’s 6-1 win over Real Espana in the opening game of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup. Nathan Aldous added a third goal, sealing the overall result that sent a message to the rest of the league.
Messi didn’t find much room to shine.
Messi garnered a lot of attention before the game, but he had little room to flourish against a disciplined LAFC team that combined defensive organization and sharp transitions. Bouanga’s speed and directness repeatedly extended Miami’s final line, and Son’s presence in the attack added a new layer of quality that the visiting team couldn’t contain.
The victory marked a memorable debut for head coach Marc dos Santos, highlighting both the performance and the room for further growth. “I’m happy to win like this and still have a lot of room to move forward,” Dos Santos said after the match. “Right now I just want to play and make the team.”
The coach also pointed to the team’s resilience after a tough road schedule. LAFC played in Honduras on Tuesday and returned to Los Angeles with limited preparation time.
“A very positive thing was that we played in Honduras on Tuesday,” dos Santos said. “We flew a very long flight, had a day of training and were able to suffer as a team. Being able to suffer together as a team is an important quality for a team.”
On a night meant to celebrate star power and spectacle, LAFC delivered on both while asserting itself as an early contender. Bouanga and Song may not carry the global label of “GOAT,” but on their first day in Los Angeles, they were decisive figures in an outcome that resonated beyond Week 1.
