'Argh' Son Heung-min's murder tackle aimed at ankles → 'Injury concerns' LAFC coach himself said, "It could have been worse..."

*This content was translated by AI.

It was a dizzying moment that could have led to a major injury. Los Angeles FC coach Mark dos Santos explained the situation himself at the time after Son Heung-min (34) was dealt a strong tackle on his ankle during the game.

LAFC beat Houston Dynamo 2-0 in the second round of the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) away game at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas on the 1st (Korea time).

It's a winning streak. LAFC, which defeated Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 3-0 in the league's opening game, won all two games with this victory. It is a four-game winning streak, including two consecutive rounds of the first round of the 2026 North American and Caribbean Football Confederation (CONCACAF) Champions Cup with Real Spain (Honduras).

Son Heung-min started as the front-line striker in the 4-2-3-1 formation. Houston kept Son Heung-min, its ace, in check.

There was also a dizzying situation. In the process of receiving the pass in the extra time of the first half, Son Heung-min was severely fouled by the opponent's central defender Antonio Carlos, and the referee immediately took out the red card. In the 31st minute of the second half, the referee ordered Red Card once again when Agustin Bozat blocked it in the face of Son Heung-min's lone chance toward the goal.

"I think it was a dangerous play and a bit reckless," coach Mark dos Santos said in a press conference after the game. "Antonio Carlos may not have intended it, but hitting Son Heung-min's foot was really dangerous. As you can see from the picture, it almost led to more serious injuries," he pointed out.

In addition, when asked about Son Heung-min's condition, he said, "Sony is fine. He said, "He seems to be in a good mood," adding, "However, if the foot was a little stronger, it would have been really dangerous, but fortunately, he finished the game well. It's time to take a few days off and recover."

According to local reports, LAFC and Houston's stadiums were filled with Korean fans. Coach Dos Santos said, "I was really impressed by the Korean fans' support that came to Houston. I've never been to Korea yet, but I really want to go there, he said. "I'm impressed by people, but I'm surprised that there are countless Koreans in every city LAFC goes to. "It was like the Korean national team was playing in the away game in Boston," he said.

"The fans' passion for Son Heung-min is amazing. I realize how big he is in Korea. It's a really special fandom," he praised.

Son Heung-min led LAFC to victory by scoring two assists and two withdrawals despite the injury crisis. After helping Mark Delgado score the first goal in the 11th minute of the second half, he poked a pass in the 37th minute of the second half, which is the starting point of Stephen Eustacchio's mid-range shooting score. As MLS also has a rule that recognizes passes as help in the goal process, Son Heung-min accumulated two assists on the day.

According to the soccer statistics media 'Foot Mob', Son Heung-min played full season on the day and recorded the most shots and five dribbles successful times, receiving an 8.1 rating.

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*This content was translated by AI.