*This content was translated by AI.
Son Heung-min (34, Los Angeles FC) will hunt for field goals in the season on the Major League Soccer (MLS) stage. Son Heung-min, who has been on a helping march this season with his unrivaled influence in the game, aims to score a silent goal through this game.
Son Heung-min will start the home game against St. Louis City in the fourth round of the 2026 MLS at 11:30 a.m. on the 15th (Korea Standard Time) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
LAFC, led by coach Mark dos Santos, uses anomalous tactics. Son Heung-min will play as a midfielder for the first time since entering the U.S. According to the official MLS website, Son will be placed in the center midfielder position in the 4-3-3 formation.
Instead, Nathan Ordaz takes on the striker and puts Deene Vuanga and David Martinez on both wings. The midfield will be formed by Mark Delgado and Mathieu Shuaniere with Son Heung-min at the center, while Eddie Segura, Nkosi Tapari, Ryan Porteous and Ryan Laposo will build a four-back line. The goal is defended by Hugo Lloris.
Son Heung-min is currently in his best condition. Son Heung-min did not score directly in the first leg of the round of 16 of the 2026 North American Caribbean Football Confederation (CONCACAF) Champions Cup on the 11th, but he completely dominated the game. In the 11th minute of the second half, he helped Buanga's equalizer with a sharp left-footed through pass to save his team from defeat.
At that time, the statistics media "Foot Mob" gave Son Heung-min, who played full season and had one assist, an 8.2 rating. According to the media, Son Heung-min recorded five key passes, one big opportunity creation, two effective shots, and two dribbles, and shone on both sides of the offense and defense, including four passes in the offensive area and five successful ball contests. On the heat map, Son Heung-min played a perfect role as a playmaker to unravel the team's overall offensive flow by moving widely to the midfield area, not limited to the front line.
However, the unfortunate thing is the absence of a field goal. Son Heung-min has one goal and seven assists in six official games this season, with the only goal being a penalty goal. Since he scored one goal and three assists in the first round of the Champions Cup against Real Spain, the silence of field goals has continued for the past five consecutive games.
In this situation, local media in the U.S. are predicting Son Heung-min's chances of scoring. The U.S. sports media "Sports Illustrated" analyzed LAFC's early-season statistics and Son Heung-min's tactical weight in detail on the 14th, saying, "LAFC has scored six goals in three games since the opening of the MLS and has not conceded a single goal, showing the best team in the league. Superstar Son Heung-min has yet to score his first goal of the season, even though he plays an important role in the team's success."
"Son Heung-min is expected to be able to create a goal by shaking up the opponent's midfield consisting of Chris Durkin and Daniel Ethel against St. Louis City," he said. "Even if he can't score directly, Son Heung-min's presence can create more chances for Vuanga and Stefan Eustachio."
In addition, "Sports Illustrated" predicted that LAFC will beat St. Louis 3-0 and settle for four consecutive regular league wins without losing a point amid Son Heung-min's performance.
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*This content was translated by AI.
