After a long drought to start the season, forward Son Heung-min scored in his second consecutive game and added an assist as LAFC beat Real Salt Lake 3-1.
Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC reacts after the team's win against Real Salt Lake at BMO Stadium on in Los Angeles on July 22.GETTY/YONHAP
Korean footballer Son Heung-min of Los Angeles FC (LAFC) found his scoring touch again with a goal against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, as his team earned a 3-1 victory.
The LAFC forward has now scored in back-to-back MLS matches and has two goals this season.
Son scored the opener in the 11th minute in an MLS regular-season match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
After Jacob Shaffelburg of LAFC battled for a loose ball and nudged it into his path, Son drove toward the edge of the penalty area. Son then skipped past his defender with a step-over and fired a quick left-footed shot into the bottom-left corner. The composed finish and sharp movement evoked the form that made him one of the Premier League's most dangerous attackers.
Previously, Son had opened the season with nine assists in 13 league appearances but had failed to score in that time, a drought that also carried into the FIFA World Cup 2026. Korea did not get past the group stage of the tournament, with the national team returning home in late June and early July.
Son finally broke his season-long MLS silence in LAFC's 3-0 victory over the crosstown rival LA Galaxy last Saturday. It was his first goal since the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs in November, ending a 237-day scoring drought.
Son Heung-min of the Los Angeles FC poses with the man of the match scarf after the team's win against Real Salt Lake at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on July 22.GETTY/YONHAP
Real Salt Lake has become one of Son's favorite opponents.
Since making his MLS debut last year, he has produced four goals and two assists in two meetings against the club. He scored a hat trick in the first encounter and followed it with a goal and two assists in the second. Son's play helped his team claim 4-1 victories in both matches.
In Wednesday’s match, Son started as a lone striker at the front line. Son also set up Denis Bouanga's goal in the 40th minute and recorded an assist.
He was again involved in LAFC's third goal in the 68th minute by driving a low cross from the right that deflected off a defender and into the net. Although it was officially ruled an own goal, Son had a hand in all three of LAFC's goals.
Son Heung-min of the Los Angeles FC, right, celebrates with Denis Bouanga after scoring a goal against the Real Salt Lake at BMO Stadium on July 22 in Los Angeles, California.GETTY/YONHAP
The assist was his league-leading 10th of the season, which put him ahead of San Diego FC's Anders Dreyer, who has nine, and Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi, who has eight.
Son was substituted out in the 72nd minute as LAFC managed his workload during a demanding stretch of fixtures.
“We are going to face a very condensed schedule, and our conversation, not only with Sonny but other key players, is that we have to manage [their minutes],” LAFC manager Marc Dos Santos said before Wednesday’s match, referring to the Korean forward by the nickname given to him by football fans.
The victory was LAFC's third straight in league play. The club climbed to 30 points and third place in the Western Conference, trimming the gap with leaders Vancouver and San Jose to two points.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
