*This content was translated by AI.
"Time passes, yet no solution seems to be found." Marc Dos Santos, LAFC head coach, bowed his head without even being able to pinpoint a clear reason for the team's lifeless collapse against the league's bottom-ranked side.
On the 13th (Korea time), LAFC suffered a decisive 1-3 defeat in an away match against Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas, USA, in Round 26 of Major League Soccer (MLS) for the 2026 season.
LAFC, which had successfully escaped a winless streak with a victory over New York Red Bulls in their previous match, slid from third place to fifth place in the Western Conference after today's loss, recording 11 wins, 7 draws, and 8 losses (40 points). In particular, being held back by bottom-ranked Kansas City in the Western Conference dealt a sudden brake to their chase of the top spots.
Coach Dos Santos criticized the poor performance at the post-match press conference, stating, "In the first half, we were stuck on the airplane. It felt like we were still in Los Angeles." He added, "We defended too far apart without maintaining proper spacing and played passively. We never won a single duel in the first half. It has become clear that you cannot win games by just looking at the standings; victories must be earned on the field."
However, he could not provide a clear answer regarding the background of the team's collapse. Coach Dos Santos said, "This was our third game played over eight days with long travel involved, whereas Kansas City had no schedule. It might have been due to that, or perhaps we were overly confident and failed to execute even the smallest details properly. I myself do not know the exact cause," leaving the matter unresolved.
He continued, "It is true that it is easier to manage games when facing opponents with similar schedules," but added, "The clear fact is that you can never win any game by playing only 45 minutes like in the first half. That alone is not enough in this league."
Despite clear issues across all aspects of offense and defense, no definitive solution was found. When asked by local reporters about failing to score from set pieces despite earning the most corner kicks in the league, Coach Dos Santos replied, "It's frustrating. We are aware that our corner kick count is high. Various factors such as the quality and trajectory of the kicks likely played a role." He shook his head, saying, "We also recognize the seriousness of this internally within the team. Now we must convert these opportunities into goals."
The prolonged silence of ace Son Heung-min is also painful. Starting at the forefront in a 4-3-3 formation and playing the full match today, Son Heung-min set up Dennis Bouanga's consolation goal in the second minute for an official assist in MLS but failed to score himself. In the first half, he was isolated until a direct free-kick shot attempt in stoppage time as he was overwhelmed by the opponent's attacks.
Son Heung-min has managed only one goal in his last 10 official matches, struggling to ignite his scoring machine. Although he is fighting hard at the forefront, the team's tactical execution remains lacking and offensive support is not flowing smoothly, leading to a prolonged period of silence.
Coach Dos Santos, who failed to offer any clues for a turnaround, (self-reproached), saying, "With away matches continuing, we must secure more points on the road. The gap between all teams in MLS is very tight. Merely claiming to be a strong team is not enough; you must prove it in every match." He added, "We need to become tougher and stronger. LAFC needs to show more."
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*This content was translated by AI.
