Austin: Son Heung-min recorded a goal and an assist to help Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) through to the next round in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Playoffs. LAFC, No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, defeated sixth-seed Austin FC 4-1 in the second match of their first-round showdown at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Sunday (local time).
According to Yonhap News Agency, LAFC, who had won the opening match 2-1 at home Wednesday, took this best-of-three series in two games and will next play Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the single-elimination conference semifinals at BC Place in Vancouver, either on Nov. 22 or 23. Seeded second in the west, Vancouver knocked off No. 7 seed FC Dallas in the first round, with a 3-0 victory followed by a 4-2 win on penalties.
Son scored his first MLS playoff goal in the 21st minute with some brilliant individual effort. After taking a through ball from his trusted partner, Denis Bouanga, Son sprinted down the left flank, faked out midfielder Ilie Sanchez with a nifty change of pace and slotted a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner. Four minutes later, the South Korean superstar returned the favor to Bouanga. Son, this time attacking on the right side, pulled goalkeeper Brad Stuver outside the box on a fast-break chance, leaving multiple defenders scrambling. Son calmly passed the ball to Bouanga on the opposite wing, and the forward scored easily to put LAFC up 2-0.
Austin FC wasted an opportunity to cut the lead in half in the 39th minute, when Myrto Uzuni’s penalty, awarded on Bouanga’s handball violation in the box, was denied by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Bouanga made Austin FC pay for that by extending LAFC’s lead to 3-0 with a 44th-minute goal.
Austin FC earned another penalty during stoppage time in the first half, and Dani Pereira beat Lloris this time to bring his side within 3-1. Austin FC thought they had pulled within one when CJ Fodrey put one into the net off a free kick in the 72nd minute, only to see the American forward ruled offside.
LAFC still held a 3-1 lead when Son was subbed out for Jeremy Ebobisse in the 88th minute, and Ebobisse netted the team’s final goal during stoppage time. Son now has 10 goals in only 12 matches in all competitions for LAFC after joining them in August.