"Really, what kind of day was this?" Maximized... 'Again' Son Heung-min overworked → Catastrophic defeat, LAFC coach: "Worst performance in history"

*This content was translated by AI.

Mark dos Santos Toss, LAFC coach, who suffered a shocking defeat at home, bowed his head. He even used profanity, implying that LAFC's performance was at its worst level in history.

On the 20th (Korea time), LAFC suffered a 1-4 crushing defeat against San Jose Earthquakes in a home match of the 2026 MLS Round 8 held at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, USA.

On this day, Son Heung-min (34) played as the lone striker up front for the full match and fought hard, but could not prevent the team's second consecutive loss.

According to LAFC, Coach dos Santos Toss said in a post-match press conference, "We could use the difficult schedule, such as the Mexico away trip and high-altitude matches, as an excuse, but it's more like we simply failed to play the game. We were slow in second-ball battles, passes were sloppy, and there was a lack of threatening movement. The entire team was stagnant."

He expressed strong concern especially about the defense that self-destructed by conceding consecutive goals at three-minute intervals in the second half. Coach dos Santos Toss said, "The defensive performance against San Jose was the worst of the entire season. The pressing system completely collapsed, and the gaps between players were not closed. LAFC couldn't keep up with opponents exchanging one-two passes at all. It was the most sloppy game among all matches played this year."

It was a predicted disaster. LAFC played a high-altitude match on an away trip to Mexico five days prior. However, regarding the decision to field the same starting lineup as in the Cruz Azul match, including Son Heung-min, he said, "The players said they were in good physical condition. As a coach, I had to trust them. But while they may have been physically fine, mental fatigue seems to have been greater than expected."

He expressed unwavering trust in goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who allowed a large number of goals. Coach dos Santos Toss said, "Lloris has been our team's core and the best throughout the season. If a player is not at 100% condition, sharpness naturally declines. I do not doubt him based on a single match result."

However, as the interview continued, Coach dos Santos Toss also gave somewhat agitated responses. He said, "Don't we sometimes have days at work when nothing goes right? There are days like 'Sxxx days,' and today was exactly such a day. I don't want to lie. LAFC's performance was truly the worst. We must be honest with ourselves," as he blamed himself.

When asked about the team's management approach between the CONCACAF Champions Cup and MLS amidst a tight schedule, he replied, "I don't want to neglect one tournament for the sake of another. We will prepare for both tournaments in a balanced manner."

Even LAFC has no time to recover. Following this defeat, LAFC, currently sitting third in the Western Conference, must face Colorado in an MLS match on the 23rd.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.