"Son Heung-min struggling? I never once doubted him"... The coach, repeatedly expressing admiration, showered him with unceasing praise.

*This content was translated by AI.

Even the coach could not stop expressing admiration. Marc Dos Santos, head coach of Son Heung-min (34, LAFC), who has fully revived with three consecutive goals in three matches, expressed deep trust and praise for him.

On Monday, Oct. 26, at 11:30 a.m. Korean time, LAFC secured a decisive 4-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City in their home match during the 2026 MLS Round 18 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, thanks to Son Heung-min's opening and winning goal.

Son Heung-min scored the opening goal just five minutes into the match by finishing a counterattack with a precise right-footed shot after the ball flowed toward the goal area.

With this goal, Son Heung-min has now scored in three consecutive matches: his first goal of the season on Oct. 18 against LA Galaxy, followed by goals against Real Salt Lake on Oct. 23 and Sporting Kansas City today. Currently with three goals and ten assists in 16 league games this season, Son Heung-min has fully regained his scoring form while maintaining sole leadership in assists in the league. Alongside Son Heung-min's revival, LAFC has matched Vancouver Whitecaps, who lead the Western Conference, in points.

Praising the star striker's spectacular revival, the coach also offered high praise. When asked by reporters about Son Heung-min's goal drought early in the season, Coach Dos Santos said, "As you know, I have always supported Son Heung-min. I have always trusted his abilities." He added, "Immediately after joining LAFC last season, there were many lucky goals that went in after bouncing off defenders, but early this season, he often found himself blocked by opposing defenses despite good opportunities."

However, Coach Dos Santos also stated, "But recently, he has shown excellent form and finished cleanly," expressing his trust by saying, "I have never once doubted Son Heung-min's value or contribution."

He also explained the approach regarding Son Heung-min's physical condition and strict match management policy. He said, "In a long race like this, fluctuations in performance are inevitable. My role is to help players maintain their best form and peak condition. The recent substitutions of key players were measures taken for managing stamina and systematic fitness control."

He continued, "With the tight schedule of matches following immediately, managing playing time is essential. Son Heung-min surely knows how joyfully his teammates celebrate whenever he scores."

Having fully overcome the pain of the 2026 FIFA World Cup North America group stage and regained peak form, Son Heung-min and LAFC are set to face a demanding schedule starting with an away match against top-ranked Vancouver on Oct. 2, followed by league matches and League Cup games against Guadalajara, Chihuahua, and Querétaro (all in Mexico).

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*This content was translated by AI.