After a week filled with downpours, flood warnings, gloomy skies and wet roads, the weather couldn’t have been better for tonights heavyweight opener to kickoff the 2026 MLS Regular Season. After their thumping of Real España, LAFC were back at home, kind of, as they welcomed defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami. As if the matchup couldn’t get any bigger, the team wasn’t playing host at their typical home of BMO stadium, but instead were taking the pitch just a few steps away at the 78,000 seat, historic LA Memorial Coliseum. You can’t win or lose the championship on the first match of the season, but make no mistake, tonight was a massive opportunity for Los Angeles to send a statement, and put the entire league on notice that they were coming for it all this season.
A special venue for the season opener 🏟️. . #LAFC | @BMO_US pic.twitter.com/HdI6N90Uuu
— LAFC (@LAFC) February 22, 2026
As you might expect, the show started well before kickoff, with pyrotechnics, light shows, the 3252 in full voice and an atmosphere fitting of the occasion. LAFC used that energy immediately, attacking Miami with a high press that had the visitors in a bit of a bind early on. We almost got another early goal from the black & gold as Sonny was picked out with a perfect pass that had him behind the defense and on a 1v1 with the goalkeeper. Unfortunately, he was unable to find a shot he liked, opted for the pass back to a streaking Bouanga who had his shot saved. Even with the missed opportunity, Los Angeles was flashing their fangs early on.
Through the first 30 minutes of the match, we still hadn’t seen a goal, but it was very much the home side knocking on the door, looking the better of the two sides to score. LAFC had racked up the corner kicks, were getting behind the Miami defense, and applying a press that led to quite a few turnovers in the middle of the pitch. In the 38th minute LAFC finally kicked the door down courtesy of that pressure. An interception as Miami tried to play out the back led to an immediate counter opportunity that saw Son pick out David Martínez with nothing but space in front of him, and the youngster was able to clinically finish with a calm curved shot that just found its way inside the right side of the post for the first half goal and the lead.
Son sets up David to give us the lead 💥 pic.twitter.com/mCTaL9bRkG
— LAFC (@LAFC) February 22, 2026
The first half came to a close with that being the only goal, and while it wasn’t the first half goal fest that we saw in Honduras, it was still a very dominating half for the black & gold. Miami had a few looks at goal, but for the most part, weren’t much of a threat in the first 45. That said, it was expected that Inter Miami would come out a lot more aggressive in the second half to try and spoil the party atmosphere building in Los Angeles. As expected, Miami did just that in the first 10 minutes of the second half. The visitors were putting on pressure of their own, finding space to threaten the goal and piling up the corner kick efforts as they looked to find the equalizer.
Through 70 minutes it was Inter Miami that was dominating the second half in the same way LAFC dominated the first. They were putting pressure on build-ups, finding space in the final third and peppering the goal with shots, but they weren’t able to find the finishing the product. Despite the lack of chances, LAFC showed they only needed on, like a viper in the weeds, striking in an instant.
In the 73rd minute we got a glimpse of the type of plays this Coliseum typically sees as Timothy Tillman unloaded an absolute dime of a pass that sailed a good 40 yards before finding Denis Bouanga on the run. A perfect first touch with his head got the forward past the last defender and the goalkeeper, leaving an open net and as he has done so many times before, he cooly put the ball into the back of it, doubling the lead for Los Angeles, and opening his 2026 MLS account in the process.
Over the keeper and Denis doubles our lead 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/EffJlXR1ZE
— LAFC (@LAFC) February 22, 2026
Not content with just seeing out the win, LAFC really wanted to drive the sword through the hearts of Miami and did just that in added time. Denis Bouanga got his first assist on the season with a great ball across the front of goal as he was falling down in attack, the type of ball just begging for the slightest of touches and it was Nathan Ordaz who happily obliged. He was Johnny on the spot with a touch that sent the ball past the goalkeeper for his first goal of 2026, and the third goal of the night as LAFC wrapped up their historic home opener with a very impressive, and emphatic, win.
Bouanga –> Ordaz
GAME OVER. LAFC take down Miami. pic.twitter.com/c0MUCrbNfo
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 22, 2026
Los Angeles may not have scored six in tonight’s season opening win, but it was still a performance that was just as dominant as their Champions Cup outing. Not only are Inter Miami the defending champions, but coming into tonight were the favorites of many analysts to repeat and win it all again this year. The 3-0 win wasn’t just professional for LAFC, it was another statement in front of over 75,000 fans, the most ever for an MLS season opener. This is a team that, at its peak, can truly beat any team in the league and with an attack this potent, can do so scoring goals in bunches. The Marc Dos Santos era is well and truly off and running as the team have started the 2026 campaign with two very impressive wins, putting the entire league on notice. This could very well be the year we see LAFC lift a few pieces of silverware when it’s all said and done.
Thoughts on the big win over Inter Miami tonight? Let us know with a comment below!