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Attendance: 22,121
Los Angeles FC
Major League Soccer | Gameweek 3
Mar 1, 2020 at 10.30pm UK
 
Inter Miami

1-0

Vela (44')
FT(HT: 1-0)

David Beckham's Inter Miami beaten on MLS debut

David Beckham's Inter Miami beaten on MLS debut
© Reuters
Former Arsenal forward Carlos Vela's 44th minute goal sealed the narrow win for Los Angeles FC.

David Beckham's Inter Miami slipped to defeat in their first ever MLS match with a 1-0 loss to Los Angeles FC.

The former England captain is the co-owner of the 25th MLS franchise who, six years on from Beckham announcing he was exercising the option to own an MLS franchise, which was part of the deal that took him to LA Galaxy in 2007 from Real Madrid, finally took to the field.

Miami, competing in the Eastern Conference, signed Scotland international forward Lewis Morgan from Celtic in January but the majority of their squad is made up of players who have plied their trade in America.

Beckham's side, managed by two-time CONCACAF Champions League winner Diego Alonso, showed flashes of promise on their first outing against a strong LAFC unit.

Gordon Ramsey was a guest at the match
Gordon Ramsay was a guest at the match (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

LAFC only played their first MLS game in March 2018 but have reached the play-offs in each of their first two seasons in the league and clinched the Supporters' Shield – awarded to the team with the best regular season record – last year.

And the hosts, managed by former long-serving USA head coach Bob Bradley, looked to assert their dominance in the opening stages at the Banc of California Stadium.

Former Arsenal and Real Sociedad forward Carlos Vela crossed to Diego Rossi after five minutes, but his header across goal was acrobatically saved by goalkeeper Luis Robles – who joined Inter after making 238 appearances for New York Red Bulls.

LAFC had the ball in the net four minutes later only for Mark-Anthony Kaye's goal to be ruled out for offside against Rossi.

Miami began to grow into the contest and forced former Holland international Kenneth Vermeer into a smart save after 37 minutes, diving to his left to deny Matias Pellegrini.

But Vela, on his 31st birthday, produced a piece of individual brilliance to give LAFC the lead on the stroke of half-time, dancing his way to the edge of the area before executing a sublime chip over Robles.

The hosts thought they had doubled the lead 30 seconds into the second half but Rossi was denied by the offside flag once again.

Mexico international Rodolfo Pizarro then came within inches of netting Miami's historic first goal in MLS, but his prodded effort fell just the wrong side of the post.

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Eastern Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Inter MiamiInter Miami34228479493074
2Columbus Crew34199672403266
3FC CincinnatiCincinnati341851158481059
4Orlando City34157125950952
5Charlotte FCCharlotte FC34149114637951
6New York City FCNY City34148125449550
7New York Red BullsNY Red Bulls34111495550547
8CF MontrealMontreal341110134864-1643
9Atlanta UnitedAtlanta341010144649-340
10DC United341010145270-1840
11Philadelphia UnionPhiladelphia34910156255737
12Toronto34114194061-2137
13Nashville SCNashville3499163854-1636
14New England RevolutionNew England3494213774-3731
15Chicago Fire3479184062-2230

Western Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Los Angeles FCLos Angeles34197863432064
2Los Angeles GalaxyLA Galaxy34197869501964
3Real Salt LakeSalt Lake341611765481759
4Seattle SoundersSeattle34169951351657
5Houston DynamoHouston34159104739854
6Minnesota UnitedMinnesota Utd34157125849952
7Colorado RapidsColorado34155146160150
8Portland TimbersPortland341211116556947
9Vancouver WhitecapsVancouver34138135249347
10Austin FCAustin34119143948-942
11Dallas34118155456-241
12St Louis City34813135063-1337
13Sporting Kansas CityKansas3487195166-1531
14San Jose EarthquakesEarthquakes3463254178-3721


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