▲ Son Heung-min in action during the 2026 MLS regular season match between the New York Red Bulls and LAFC at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, USA.
Major League Soccer (MLS) club Los Angeles FC (LAFC) overcame Son Heung-min's "crossbar bad luck" against the New York Red Bulls to claim their first victory in seven matches.
LAFC won 2-0 against the New York Red Bulls in their 2026 MLS regular season 25th-round home match held on the 10th (KST) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA.
With the victory on this day, LAFC (40 points) broke out of a recent six-match winless streak (4 draws, 2 losses) and climbed to third place in the Western Conference.
Son Heung-min, who put on a stellar performance with one goal and one assist in the previous match, started as the central lone striker and played the full match. He suffered the misfortune of hitting the woodwork once, failing to score for the second consecutive match.
In the 12th minute of the first half, Son received a ball injected from the left flank and attempted a left-footed shot from the center of the penalty area, but it was blocked by a diving defender, causing him to miss a golden opportunity.
The subdued New York Red Bulls also saw their chance thwarted in the 15th minute of the first half when Eric Choupo-Moting penetrated the right side of the penalty area and fired a powerful right-footed shot, which was denied by a super save from LAFC veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
LAFC finally tasted the opening goal in the 21st minute of the first half, and Son Heung-min's shot served as the catalyst.
Son received a ball on the left flank, penetrated the left side of the penalty area, and unleashed a left-footed shot that was blocked by the goalkeeper. As the ball bounced out, Jude Terry scored with a non-stop right-footed shot near the center of the penalty area.
In the 25th minute of the first half, Son seemed to find himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, but his first touch was too heavy to connect into a shot. Additionally, his right-footed shot from the left side of the penalty arc during first-half stoppage time went straight to the goalkeeper, failing to lead to a goal.
Ending the first half 1-0, LAFC continued their tactic of blocking New York Red Bulls' attacks in the second half while swiftly targeting the space behind the defense.
In the 22nd minute of the second half, during a fast counterattack, Denis Bouanga made a solo dribble down to the left side of the goal area, but he failed to break through the final defensive wall and missed the chance to score an additional goal.
Son Heung-min, who rarely received passes at the front line, drew gasps from the crowd in the 33rd minute of the second half when his powerful left-footed shot from the left of the penalty area grazed the goalkeeper's fingertips and struck the crossbar hard before bouncing out.
Two minutes later, during a counterattack, Son broke through near the left side of the goal area and attempted a left-footed shot, but it was blocked by a defender's body, leaving a sense of frustration.
Continuing their late offensive push, LAFC secured the 2-0 victory when Armindo Sieb drove in a sealing goal with a left-footed shot from the center of the penalty arc during second-half stoppage time.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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