HIGHLIGHTS: Los Angeles Football Club vs. Inter Miami CF | September 3, 2023

Boguch and Acosta in front of Sanchez, they'll push the tempo, high press Brusquets, but no Martinez and Campana from the start. That means Farias and Messi leading the front line. A match, a night, an atmosphere unlike one we've ever seen before in Major League Soccer and it's underway at BMO Stadium, Inter Miami and LAFC. Acosta for Huanga, Aviles steps up, Huanga might be off and running, Aviles to his left, De La Toa to his right, but Huanga keeping it himself, it's ordered. The US national team after this match. They're in for Huanga, that's where they get in trouble. How good is this from Chiellini, if you're not gonna put pressure on the 39 year old, he still has the technical ability and vision to step into the midfield and play the ball in behind, because 15 minutes in this game's being played at a thousand miles an hour. This is an LAFC team that is okay not having the ball though, right? I mean the initial kind of additions of LAFC, they wanted to be all over the ball, this might be an opportunity, Farias against the run of play, wins the scoring for Inter Miami. For Tata Martino, this is so good, rotate, find the right spots, find positions, but Chiellini and Erlong, they're not worried about a nine, there is no nine. Lionel Messi's in the hole, where's Farias come? How about that ball from Avales to them, Farias that quickly catches John McCarthy off, Erlong picks up the run, but no first touch, hit it first time, catch the keeper off guard and catch the 28,000 at BMO Stadium, and put them on their seats, against the run of play, Messi, Martino, that's given away. Bawanga over Kramaski, for Gonzalez, Bawanga continuing his run, Bawanga's in to tie up set, gets away from Kramaski, Bogus, Hollingshead, steps around Avales, Ryan Hollingshead through, Gonzalez, the outside of the side netting, three legends of the club tonight, including Lionel Messi, getting around Iliye, and then cutting it back, still Messi, somehow finds Gomez, back to Messi, in the circles, four or five players worried about the one guy you have to be worried about, the great one-two touch passing in space, there to be had for Inter Miami in the attack, how about that ball from Busquets, to Messi, oh Jordi Alba's in, Jordi Alba for two, doubles the lead through Jordi Alba, into Lionel Messi, and out of your screen, you get caught ball watching, Hollingshead drops, because he drops, Jordi Alba's onside, fantastic timing, composure, quality, all over the field, and the three Barcelona men, putting on a show tonight, two-nil, Jordi Alba, Inter Miami, here in LA, Tilghman, pressured by Gomez, Miami win it, they're playing on, Varias straight up the gut, Varias might be in, Facundo Varias for three, Bogus, Bawanga, broken up by Yedlin, Bawanga might still get on, and he does, took it very well, right at Drake Callender, play here from Kamal Miller, Bawanga might be in, Callender again a save, a trio of opportunities for Denis Bawanga tonight, Callender, it's been that kind of night for LAFC, Drake Callender is on a heater, and then I see him today with a new haircut, Messi coming through, Messi, cutting it back, leaving it, Campana, winning League's Cup, now coming into this building, the first 20 minutes all about survival, the last 80 minutes or so, a complete clinic from Inter Miami, of quality, composure, the right pass, at the right tempo, at the right time, make no mistake about it, it has been an absolute clinic from the team in pink, here in Hollywood tonight, from the third straight clean sheet, in a week's time, Bella, flicked on, and it's in, clean sheet, Ryan Hollingshead pulls one back for LAFC, it's 3-1, how vulnerable they are, with any dangerous ball whipped in on a set piece, goals are there to be had, six goals last year as a right back, the first time he's an all-star in 2023, good chance, back post, representative of the evening for Denis Bawanga, and again, it's missed, and when it comes to Inter Miami, and playing against them, it's the game, check is complete, and the match is over, in the battle of champion versus champion, it's Inter Miami coming on the road to LA.