▲ Son Heung-min celebrates after scoring a goal.
After shaking off the disappointment of an early exit at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup and scoring his first MLS goal of the season in his 14th appearance, Son Heung-min (LAFC) has found the back of the net in consecutive matches.
Starting in the 2026 MLS home match against Real Salt Lake held at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on the 23rd (KST), Son recorded one goal and one assist to lead LAFC to a 3-1 victory.
Having played 72 minutes, Son was involved in all three of LAFC's goals on the day, even forcing an opponent's own goal.
After recording nine assists during the first 13 matches following the MLS season opener and failing to score at the North and Central America World Cup, Son finally claimed his first league goal of the season with a clincher during the "LA Derby" (a 3-0 win) against LA Galaxy on the 18th, which was his first match back since the World Cup.
He then ignited his scoring fire once again against Salt Lake.
Son's goals this season increased to four in total, combining his two MLS goals (with 10 assists) and two goals (with 7 assists) in eight matches of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Since debuting in the MLS last year, Son has shown a stellar performance against Salt Lake across two head-to-head matches, racking up four goals and two assists.
In their first encounter, he achieved a hat-trick, and in their second meeting, he recorded one goal and two assists, leading the team to resounding 4-1 victories on each occasion.
On this day as well, LAFC thoroughly defeated Salt Lake once again thanks to Son's scoring.
Riding the momentum of a three-game winning streak, LAFC maintained third place in the Western Conference with 30 points (9 wins, 3 draws, 5 losses).
Salt Lake, having played two fewer games, remained at 26 points (8 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses).
Prior to the match, LAFC produced 22,000 bobbleheads of Son performing his signature "camera celebration" and distributed them to fans visiting the stadium.
Son started in a 4-3-3 formation alongside Denis Bouanga and Jacob Shaffelburg in the frontline trio.
Ahead of the match, LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos had stated that he would manage Son's playing time in preparation for a tight schedule that could see them play nine matches over the next month, but Son started without change.
Although Salt Lake appeared to seize the early initiative, it was LAFC that successfully clinched the momentum when Son struck.
In the 11th minute of the first half, after Shaffelburg contested with an opponent to connect a long ball sent from the rear, Son received it, drove it up to the front of the penalty arc, and slotted it into the bottom left corner with his left foot.
Having turned his first shot into a goal, Son attempted a right-footed mid-range shot outside the penalty box in the 18th minute of the first half, but this time it was blocked by the defensive wall.
Salt Lake continued to raise their possession rate and press more aggressively, but the LAFC "Heung-Bu Duo" combined for an additional goal to tip the scales further.
In the 40th minute of the first half during a counterattack, Mathieu Choinière threaded a pass through the space behind the opposing defense via Son; Bouanga dashed in to receive it, beat a defender, and struck it home with his right foot from the penalty spot.
Following the MLS rule for secondary assists (the pass directly preceding the final pass leading to a goal), Son added another assist, becoming the first player this season to reach 10 league assists.
LAFC finished the first half leading 2-0.
Son sought additional goals in the second half as well.
In the 4th minute of the second half, after driving the ball into the opponent's penalty area, he managed a left-footed shot that was blocked by the goalkeeper, and his low right-footed shot from the penalty arc in the 12th minute of the second half drifted slightly wide of the goalpost.
Subsequently, in the 23rd minute of the second half, Son induced an opponent's own goal that served as the clincher.
As David Martínez threaded the ball into space, Son darted toward the right side inside the penalty area and sent in a cross, which deflected off opposing defender DeAndre Yedlin and went into the Salt Lake goal.
Confident of victory, LAFC substituted Son off in the 27th minute of the second half, bringing in Jeremy Ebobisse.
Son walked back to the bench amid a standing ovation from the home fans.
LAFC, which subsequently substituted out Bouanga and others, conceded a consolation goal to Lucas Esteves during a corner kick situation in the 41st minute of the second half, but it had no impact on the outcome of the match thanks to their comfortable lead.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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