The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum erupted as LAFC delivered a commanding 3-0 victory over Inter Miami CF, a result that was as emphatic as it was clinical. Denis Bouanga orchestrated the destruction with two goals and an assist, while Son Heung-Min pulled strings throughout a masterclass performance that left Lionel Messi and company chasing shadows for long stretches.
The tone was set almost immediately. Just six minutes in, Bouanga latched onto a perfectly weighted delivery from Son and drove a right-footed effort toward goal, forcing Dayne St. Clair into a sharp save at the top of the box. It was a warning shot that Inter Miami failed to heed. The visitors, despite their star power, looked disorganized defensively, and LAFC's relentless pressing created problems from the opening whistle.
The deadlock broke in the 37th minute with a goal of genuine quality. David Martínez, operating with composure in the centre of the box, received a clever pass from Son and guided a left-footed finish into the bottom left corner. It was a striker's finish—calm, precise, and utterly decisive. The Coliseum erupted, and Inter Miami looked rattled heading into halftime.
The second half brought more of the same relentless pressure. Inter Miami emerged with renewed intent, testing LAFC's resolve early. Mateo Silvetti tested Hugo Lloris in the 51st minute with a left-footed drive from outside the box, but the veteran French goalkeeper read it well, smothering the effort cleanly. Facundo Mura twice had efforts blocked in quick succession around the hour mark, and Lionel Messi—who showed flashes of brilliance but was ultimately kept quiet—saw a header blocked in the 71st minute after Rodrigo De Paul's cross found him in the box.
LAFC absorbed the pressure with composure and then punished Miami with ruthless efficiency on the counter-attack. In the 73rd minute, Timothy Tillman burst forward on a fast break and slid the ball across to Bouanga, who drilled a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner. It was a goal that killed the game stone dead. Bouanga, who was booked in the 80th minute following a clash with Telasco Segovia, was simply unplayable throughout the evening.
Messi did manage to tee up substitute Tadeo Allende in the 79th minute, but Lloris was equal to the left-footed effort from outside the box, pushing it away comfortably. It was a reminder that while Miami's superstar could still create chances, LAFC's defensive structure—marshalled superbly by Ryan Porteous and Nkosi Tafari at the back—was simply too well-organized to be breached.
The final nail came deep into stoppage time. Nathan Ordaz, introduced as a substitute for Son in the 89th minute, made an immediate impact. Bouanga turned provider, picking out Ordaz in close range, and the young forward tapped home in the 90th+4th minute—a fitting end to a near-perfect evening for the hosts.
The statistics paint a fascinating picture of tactical dominance. Inter Miami CF dominated possession with 68.5% of the ball, pinning LAFC back for long stretches, yet despite 12 attempts, they managed just 3 on target—a conversion rate that cannot win matches at any level. LAFC, by contrast, were ruthlessly efficient, registering 6 shots on target from 15 attempts. Lloris finished with 3 saves, while St. Clair was beaten twice and made 2 stops of his own.
Both sides played with intensity throughout. Inter Miami collected 2 yellow cards to LAFC's 1, with 15 fouls committed by the visitors compared to 14 from the hosts. The physical nature of the contest never overshadowed the quality on display, particularly from LAFC's attacking players who executed their game plan to perfection.
The victory sends LAFC into their next fixture with considerable momentum. They face Real Espana on February 24, looking to build on this dominant performance. Inter Miami CF must regroup quickly before hosting Independiente del Valle on February 26—a fixture that now carries added pressure after this chastening defeat exposed defensive vulnerabilities that will require immediate attention.
