Leo Messi and MLS champs Inter Miami get trounced 3-0 by Denis Bouanga and LAFC in season opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami got off to a rough start in their MLS Cup title defense when David Martínez, Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz scored in Los Angeles FC's 3-0 victory Saturday night.

Son Heung-min set up Martínez's opening goal for LAFC, which emphasized its status as a primary threat to Miami's crown during a lively MLS season opener between two of the league's marquee clubs.

“This game is always special because Messi played, and we have some (desire) to want to beat Miami because Messi is there,” Bouanga said. “Every player, the mentality is so high for this game. It’s high for all games, but maybe this game is more high than another mentality.”

The matchup drew 75,673 fans — the second-largest crowd in MLS history — to the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which is next-door to LAFC’s home BMO Stadium. The huge crowd celebrated a convincing win for the home team and still enjoyed a good look at Messi, who played the full match despite dealing with a strained hamstring this month.

“This game would have sold out five times at BMO, but we wanted to do something special,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “This is a seminal year in the history of our sport and a big moment in the history of our league, so why not go into this historic stadium, bring Miami here, our champion, and have them play against LAFC?”

Bouanga exchanged jerseys with Messi after the match because the LAFC star’s son demanded it, he said with a grin.

Messi's every move was greeted with cheers and boos by the California fans, but he didn't manage a shot on target. The superstar is clearly working out his dynamic with his new teammates after the Herons lost Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to retirement.

Messi put a shot just over Hugo Lloris' bar in first-half injury time, and he never managed to link up with new forward Germán Berterame under pressure from LAFC's impressive defense. Dayne St. Clair, Miami’s elite new goalkeeper, also made a positioning mistake in his debut that greatly simplified Bouanga’s goal.

“They put us (under) a lot of pressure, but we defended really well,” LAFC head coach Dos Santos said. “I don’t think we conceded big chances. There were these half-chances, but overall … I think that part of our game today, A-plus. The part of (our) possession, B. We can be much better, and we want to be much better, but our guys were a team.”

Dos Santos won in his debut as the 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 España earlier this week in its CONCACAF Champions Cup opener in Honduras.

LAFC went ahead in the 38th minute when Son controlled the ball in traffic and slotted a perfect pass to Martínez, who found the far bottom corner in stride. The 20-year-old Martínez has started his MLS career slowly, but LAFC remains confident the Venezuelan forward will be a star.

“We need to push him in the field because he has strong quality, but now he has changed (his) mentality, too,” Bouanga said of Martínez. “Last year is not the same to this year, and he knows.”

Bouanga had a hat trick in CONCACAF Champions Cup play earlier this week, and he added his first MLS goal of the season in the 73rd minute. The Frenchman who finished second to Messi in the Golden Boot race last season converted on a long pass from Timothy Tillman, adroitly heading it over the charging St. Clair before banging it home.

LAFC added a third goal in second-half injury time when Ordaz converted a pass from Bouanga.

LAFC improved to 4-2-0 against the Herons in the clubs' history. LAFC also remained unbeaten in its season openers, improving to 9-0-0.

Inter Miami: At Orlando on Sunday, March 1.

LAFC: Host Real España in the second leg of CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, right, dribbles against Los Angeles FC midfielder Mark Delgado, left, during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Los Angeles FC forward Denis Bouanga, left, dribbles against Inter Miami defender Ian Fray (17) during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, left, passes the ball Los Angeles FC forward Denis Bouanga (99) during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-Min (7) dribbles against Inter Miami defender Ian Fray, back right, during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, right, passes against Los Angeles FC midfielder Mark Delgado (8) dribbles the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ryan Garcia, an immensely talented boxer who has gone through his share of personal and profession turmoil in his young career, dominated Mario Barrios on Saturday night to win by unanimous decision and capture the WBC welterweight championship.

Garcia (25-2, 20 knockouts) of Victorville, California, left little doubt he deserved the title, with the judges scoring the fight 119-108, 120-107 and 118-109. The Associated Press scored it 119-109.

This was the second underwhelming bout in a row for Barrios (29-3-2, 18 KOs) of San Antonio, who was fortunate to escape with a majority draw victory over Manny Pacquiao last July.

In the co-main event, Gary Antuanne Russell (19-1, 17 KOs) of Capitol Heights, Maryland, retained his WBA super lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Japan's Andy Hiraoka (24-1, 19 KOs). The judges scored the fight 117-110, 116-111 and 116-111. Hiraoka was penalized a point in the 10th round for delivering a punch below the belt that caused a short stoppage.

Richardson Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) of New York was scheduled to defend his IBF super lightweight belt against Oscar Duarte (30-2-1, 23 KOs) of Mexico, but pulled out of the fight citing an illness. That bout was supposed to be the co-main event. There was no immediate word on whether Hitchins would forfeit his title for the late cancellation.

Garcia, a -250 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook, went to work right away, knocking down Barrios with an overhand right just 30 seconds into the bout. He didn't recklessly try to finish off Barrios, however, patiently using combination to the champion's head. One such combo late in the third round briefly staggered Barrios.

As Garcia kept picking his spots, the 30-year-old Barrios had no real answers to counter the attack. Barrios occasionally landed a right, but nothing seemed to slow down Garcia.

Perhaps sensing his opponent might be in trouble, Garcia went hard after Barrios in the fifth round, attacking him from the opening bell. He delivered multiple shots to Barrios' head, but unlike that first-round knockdown, nothing sent him to the canvass. There was little doubt, though, which fighter was in charge.

Garcia even looked over at Barrios' corner in the 10th round, perhaps sending a message to his former trainer, Joe Goosen. Henry Garcia, the fighter's dad, returned as his after Garcia worked under some others.

Likely knowing he was well ahead on the scorecards, Garcia was more conservative over the final rounds. The largely pro-Garcia crowd went to its feet over the final 30 seconds to cheer on their favorite boxer.

This has been quite a three-year stretch for Garcia, suspended for a year and fined $1 million by the New York State Athletic Commission for allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs in a win over Devin Haney. The WBC also expelled Garcia for a few months for using racial and ethnic slurs, and he also had his share of legal issues.

Beyond that, the 27-year-old Garcia also needed to bounce back from his most recent fight, a unanimous-decision loss to Rolando Romero in New York's Times Square.

AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing

Gary Antuanne Russell celebrates after winning in a WBA super lightweight title boxing match against Andy Hiraoka Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Lucas Peltier)

FILE - Mario Barrios works out ahead of his WBC welterweight world title bout against Abel Ramos during the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul undercard, Nov. 12, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

FILE - Ryan Garcia is announced before a super lightweight boxing match against Devin Haney, April 21, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)