Son stays hot, LAFC routs Real Salt Lake

One thing, at least for now is becoming guaranteed in life; death, taxes and Son Heung-Min scoring early in matches.

One week after scoring just a minute into the match against the San Jose Earthquakes, Son was at it again on Wednesday night. It took a minute longer, but Son again scored inside the first five minutes of match. Just like last Saturday, his goal ignited an LAFC scoring frenzy, but only this time, it was Son who benefitted, as he finished the night with a hat trick, and his performance combined with Denis Bouanga reaching a key milestone, enabled LAFC to open a de factor home-and-home series with Real Salt Lake with a 4-1 road win at America First Field.

The three points earned in the match were key for LAFC (13-7-8, 47 points), as they overtook the Seattle Sounders for the fourth spot in the Western Conference and currently enjoy a two-point edge over the Sounders. With as many as three matches in hand, LAFC heads into the weekend just nine points out of first place in the conference.

It took an extra minute for Son to get LAFC going, but the result was still beneficial for both him and LAFC. Timothy Tillman sent a ball forward from the halfway line, and Son timed his run just right to get behind the RSL defense from the left side. Son dribbled into the penalty area and slotted the shot past RSL keeper Rafael Cabral into the back net to open the scoring for both him and his team just two minutes in.

Son was just getting started. Son got his brace in the 16th minute, as he received a ball from Ryan Hollingshead, and with no one near him, Son took a quick touch, then fired a laser off his right foot from about 25 yards out, and the ball bounced off the pitch and got past Cabral at the far post to double the LAFC advantage.

LAFC took the lead into halftime, but RSL did its best to fight back. Salt Lake had a penalty in the 56th minute, Rwan Cruz stepped up to the penalty spot for RSL, but Cruz sent the penalty off the right post, and the ball did not cross the goal line, but instead went right to keeper Hugo Lloris, and he immediately scooped up the ball. Salt Lake did eventually find the back net in the 76th minute, as a shot by Cruz was deflected high in the air, and Zavier Gozo tracked the ball, and attempted a scissors kick that was successful, as the shot beat Lloris far post to halve LAFC’s lead.

LAFC however nullified any notion of an RSL come back shortly thereafter. Denis Bouanga led an LAFC breakaway in the 82nd minute, Son joined Bouanga on his left side, Bouanga’s run drew out Cabral, but Bouanga, who was a goal away from becoming LAFC’s all-time leading scorer, apparently sensed that Son had a better shot angle, and chose to pass to him, and Son rewarded Bouanga’s instinct, as he slotted the shot into the back net to get his hat trick and restore LAFC’s two-goal lead. Bouanga eventually got his milestone in the 88th minute, as a touch to evade an RSL defender sprung himself for a breakaway, Bouanga dribbled all the way into the penalty area and slotted the shot past Cabral to surpass Carlos Vela as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

The two sides will be getting even more familiar with each other, as LAFC will be the ones hosting Salt Lake at BMO Stadium on Sunday evening.