Son Heung-min again placed not on the wing but in the central second line → Result: 'total disaster'... LAFC suffers 1-4 heavy defeat at home against Houston

*This content was translated by AI.

Despite Son Heung-min (34), the South Korean striker, playing the full 90 minutes, his club LAFC suffered a heavy defeat at home.

On the 11th at 10 a.m. (Korean time), LAFC suffered a shocking 1-4 loss against Houston Dynamo in the 12th round of the 2026 U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

As a result, LAFC, currently third in the Western Conference, recorded 6 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses (21 points). However, fourth-place Seattle Sounders also have 21 points but have played two fewer matches. LAFC's ranking is likely to drop further.

The recent situation is serious. In their previous match, LAFC drew 2-2 in an away game against San Diego FC. On the 7th, they suffered a 0-4 heavy defeat in the second leg of the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals against Toluca (Mexico) away. Previously, LAFC had won the first leg at home 2-1, but the second-leg heavy defeat caused them to lose on aggregate and miss out on advancing to the final.

With a turning point urgently needed, LAFC bowed their heads again in this match. Meanwhile, Houston rose to sixth place with 6 wins and 5 losses (18 points), moving up to eighth in the Western Conference.

On this day, 'Sonshine' Son Heung-min was not deployed on the wing or as a central forward. Instead, he supported the attack from the central second line alongside Jacob Shaffelburg and David Martinez. The top striker position was held by '22-year-old prospect' Nathan Ordaz. Midfielders Marco Delgado and Stéphan Eustaquio orchestrated the midfield, while the back four consisted of Eddie Segura, Nkosi Tapiri, Rayan Fortes, and Sergio Palencia. The goal was guarded by veteran Hugo Lloris.

However, LAFC manager Marc Dos Santos' tactics ended in a complete failure. The team collapsed miserably at home.

On this day, although LAFC's 'another ace' Denis Bouanga was suspended and could not play, they attempted aggressive attacks centered around Son Heung-min from the early stages of the first half. In the third minute of the first half, during a free-kick situation, Son Heung-min delivered a sharp kick. The opposing defender cleared the ball, but it struck the crossbar and came out.

However, the opening goal belonged to Houston. In the 25th minute of the first half, Houston midfielder Jack McGlynn unleashed a fantastic long-range shot that found the back of the net. Goalkeeper Lloris threw his body to make the save, but the shot was too accurate to stop. Houston, having seized the momentum, attempted a counterattack in the 34th minute of the first half, and Guilherme Augusto scored an additional goal.

LAFC did not give up the chase. Son Heung-min's role was crucial. In the first minute of stoppage time in the first half, Son Heung-min made a sensory pass that broke through the opposing defensive line. Subsequently, forward Ordaz connected a pass received from the wing into a shot, scoring a consolation goal.

However, LAFC's dream of a comeback vanished in an instant. Houston scored in the 7th minute of the second half through Mateus Bogus and in the 10th minute through McGlynn. The concentration of LAFC's defense, which crumbled under Houston's attack, was lacking.

Thereafter, LAFC substituted in Tyler Boyd and Timothy Tillman. However, they failed to score any additional goals. In the end, the match concluded with a 1-4 victory for Houston. On this day, Son Heung-min played the full 90 minutes, recording 2 shots, 63 touches, a 95% pass completion rate (40 successful passes out of 42 attempts), and 2 dribble breakthroughs. According to FootMob, Son Heung-min received a rating of 6.6.

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

*This content was translated by AI.