By Official Florida FC

There is no shame in losing at Banc of California Stadium. Let’s repeat: There is no shame in losing at Banc of California Stadium.

LAFC (1-0-0, 3 points) has turned its home into a regular season fortress. Since the club entered Major League Soccer in 2018, no team has lost fewer home games than Bob Bradley’s team that was 22-2-10 at home during that period.

That is the situation Inter Miami (0-1-0, 0 points) strolled into on Sunday afternoon for its first Major League Soccer match.

Carols Vela’s delightful chip decided the match 1-0.

Veteran goalie Luis Robles was quickly called into action, when he had to save Diego Rossi’s fifth minute effort. Robles, a former MLS Goalkeeper of the Year winner, made eight saves in his debut for the Herons.

Diego Alonso set up the inaugural Inter Miami squad in a 4-2-3-1 with considerable experience up the spine.

Midfielder, Wil Trapp has captained the U.S. men’s national team. Fullback Alvas Powell helped Portland win MLS Cup in 2015. Roman Torres is the captain of the Panamanian national team, who won a pair of MLS Cups with the Seattle Sounders.

Then there is Rodolfo Pizarro, the Mexican international who won a CONCACAF Champions League title with Herons’ manager Diego Alonso with Monterrey.

Inter Miami certainly had its chances, including a 42nd minute effort from Pizzaro while the match was scoreless. The Herons produced seven shots on goal and did not appear as a callow expansion team that was playing 3,000 miles from home in one of the best atmospheres in North American soccer.

“We had several very clear chances to get ahead on the scoreboard. It was the same after going 1-0 down as we pushed to get an equalizer. I’ll stay with that. With the heart the team showed,” said head coach Diego Alonso told Inter Miami’s website. “Surely we have to improve in football, but with this heart and with this intensity with which the team plays, we will surely win many games.

“Against maybe the best team in the league we gave a tremendous picture today of what we can become. With only six weeks of work, the merit is certainly from the footballers for what we have done today and the work they have done.”