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Son Heung-min's LAFC reach Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals with away draw

Published: 15 Apr. 2026, 13:55

Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC controls the ball against Cruz Azul during the second leg of the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup at Estadio Cuauhtemoc in Puebla, Mexico, on April 14, in this AFP photo. [YONHAP]

Los Angeles FC (LAFC) and their Korean superstar, Son Heung-min, are moving on to the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

LAFC played defending champions Cruz Azul to a 1-1 draw in the second leg of the quarterfinals of the regional tournament at Estadio Cuauhtemoc in Puebla, Mexico, on Tuesday. Having won the first leg 3-0 in LA last week, LAFC advanced to the semifinals on a 4-1 aggregate victory.

Son got the start and played the full match but did not factor into scoring. In the opening leg, he scored his team's first goal.

In the semifinals, LAFC will play the winner of the quarterfinal series between Deportivo Toluca FC and LA Galaxy. Toluca won the opening leg 4-2, and their return leg will be on Wednesday.

Gabriel Fernandez scored a penalty goal for Cruz Azul in the 18th minute, giving the Mexican side hope for a massive comeback. But LAFC hung tough despite being badly outshot: Cruz Azul had 32 shots and nine on goal, compared to six shots with one on target for LAFC.

Denis Bouanga had the lone LAFC goal with a late penalty in the second half.

This year's Concacaf Champions Cup began with 27 clubs from the United States, Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic. Four teams each from the U.S. and Mexico made it to the quarterfinals.

Yonhap