Lionel Messi, Inter Miami routed by LAFC in MLS season opener

Al JazeeraEN 2 min read 100% complete by By ReutersFebruary 22, 2026 at 09:28 AM

AI Summary

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In the 2026 MLS season opener, Los Angeles FC defeated Inter Miami 3-0 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before a crowd of 75,673. David Martinez scored in the first half, followed by goals from Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz in the second half for LAFC. The match marked Lionel Messi's return after a 15-game absence, but Inter Miami was held scoreless. Hugo Lloris made three saves for LAFC. The game was notable for being the second-highest attended regular-season MLS match outside of double-headers.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Timothy Tillman 30% Stephen Eustaquio 30% Rodrigo de Paul 30% Son Heung-Min ×240% Nathan Ordaz 40% Hugo Lloris 40% German Berterame 40% Denis Bouanga 50% David Martinez ×460% Los Angeles FC ×380% Inter Miami ×480% Lionel Messi ×490%

Keywords

mls 90% inter miami 80% lafc 80% lionel messi 70% season opener 70% football 60% major league soccer 60% match 50% soccer 50%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

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Source

Al Jazeera

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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mls inter miami lafc lionel messi season opener football major league soccer match soccer

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