Son Heung-min is incredible! Explosive 8th assist → 'MLS No. 1 power'... '106th-minute dramatic goal' sees LAFC draw 2-2

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korean striker Son Heung-min (34), who came on as a substitute, laid the foundation for his team's equalizing drama.

LAFC drew 2-2 against San Diego FC in a 2026 U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) match held at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, at 10:40 a.m. on the 3rd (Korean time). With this result, LAFC continued its unbeaten run over three matches (one win, two draws). The team has recorded six wins, three draws, and two losses this season (21 points), placing third in the Western Conference.

Son Heung-min started the match on the bench and was substituted in during the 15th minute of the second half when his team was trailing 0-1. Despite this, LAFC could not regroup and conceded another goal to San Diego's Marcus Ingvarsten in the 26th minute of the second half, falling behind 0-2.

But LAFC had Son Heung-min. He laid the groundwork for the equalizing drama. In the 37th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min assisted Denis Bouanga's follow-up goal. Son Heung-min controlled the ball inside the penalty box, drawing the attention of the opposing defense, and then passed the ball to Bouanga, who was cutting in from the wing. Bouanga, despite having a difficult angle, struck the ball precisely to shake the net.

With this, Son Heung-min recorded his eighth assist of the season, firmly maintaining his sole first-place position in the assists category. This season, Son Heung-min has appeared in nine league matches, but his playing time has been somewhat irregular, including a missed match against Minnesota last month. He has yet to score his first goal of the season. However, he has already recorded eight assists, proving his value.

The drama for LAFC continued. The match was awarded 16 minutes of stoppage time in the second half. A dizzying moment occurred. While Bouanga, an LAFC attacker, was advancing, he collided with the opposing goalkeeper. Although the match atmosphere was chaotic, LAFC did not miss this opportunity. In a corner kick situation, Ryan Hollingshead saw the ball drop in front of him and immediately shot, shaking the net. There was controversy over a handball foul, but the referee, after video assistant referee (VAR) review, declared the goal valid.

LAFC turned a 0-2 deficit into a 2-2 draw. In the end, the match concluded as it stood.

Football statistics platform FotMob gave Son Heung-min a favorable rating of 7.2. He recorded one assist, 26 touches, and a 78% pass success rate. Although one shot was blocked, he created two chances. 'Son Heung-min's partner' Bouanga also received a rating of 7.2. The highest rating went to San Diego striker Ingvarsten, who achieved a rating of 8.7.

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*This content was translated by AI.