'Son Heung-min ultimately falls silent' Held back by opponent's packed defense and goalkeeper's super saves... LAFC suffers shocking 1-3 loss to lower-ranked Minnesota

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Los Angeles FC (LAFC) of the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of Minnesota United, who sit in the lower half of the Western Conference. The team's "ace," Son Heung-min (LAFC), also failed to find the net, stymied by the opponent's tight defensive setup and the goalkeeper's outstanding saves.

LAFC lost 1-3 in their home match against Minnesota in Round 33 of the 2026 MLS regular season, held at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, U.S., at 10:30 a.m. (KST) on the 2nd.

With this loss, LAFC recorded 12 wins, 11 draws, and 10 losses (47 points), remaining in sixth place in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Minnesota climbed to 12th place with 10 wins, 11 draws, and 12 losses (41 points).

Although LAFC had brought in Minnesota, who held a relatively lower ranking, to their home ground, they struggled from the early stages of the match. In particular, conceding two goals in the first half alone, they found themselves trailing early on.

LAFC conceded the opening goal to Joaquin Ferreira in the 29th minute of the first half. Five minutes later, in the 34th minute of the first half, they were hit with an additional goal by Cheryon Valerius. The score gap widened to two goals in an instant.

Son Heung-min also launched a counterattack. On this day, Son Heung-min started as the attacking midfielder in the team's 4-2-3-1 formation. On the pitch, he led attacks alongside teammates such as Denis Bouanga, targeting the opponent's goal.

The most regrettable scene occurred in the 33rd minute of the first half. Son Heung-min fired a shot from near the penalty area, aiming for an equalizer. However, his effort was blocked by a dazzling save from the opposing goalkeeper, failing to result in a goal.

Immediately after Son Heung-min's decisive shot was thwarted, LAFC actually conceded another goal. Having missed the opportunity to shift the momentum, and with the score gap widening, they were forced to play an even more difficult game.

After securing a two-goal lead, Minnesota focused on defense to block LAFC's attacks. Son Heung-min also struggled to create decisive shooting opportunities amid the pressure from the opposing defensive line.

Ultimately, LAFC failed to turn the tide in the second half. Instead, they conceded a third goal to Ferreira in the 36th minute of the second half, falling behind 0-3.

In the 45th minute of the second half, Sergio Vasquez scored a consolation goal for LAFC. It was a fantastic overhead kick. Son Heung-min also set up the goal by connecting the ball from the center to the right flank.

However, there was not enough time left for LAFC to overturn the result. They ultimately suffered a two-goal defeat at home.

Son Heung-min played the full 90 minutes against Minnesota, recording 45 touches and two shots. One of those shots was on target. He created four chances, the most on his team.

His pass success rate was 87%, and he completed all three long passes he attempted. He also recorded one dribble. However, he bowed his head in defeat as he could not prevent the team's loss.

Football statistics media outlet FotMob gave Son Heung-min a rating of 7.2. It was a good evaluation, but he still had to accept the team's defeat. Minnesota forward Ferreira, who scored two goals, received the highest rating of 8.8.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original