Son Heung-min leads LAFC to playoff victory

Son Heung-min, 33, played a key role as Los Angeles FC opened its postseason with a 2-1 victory, taking a strong first step toward a second professional title.

Los Angeles FC beat Austin at home on Oct. 30 in the first leg of the MLS Cup playoffs opening round, a best-of-three series. Son, who scored nine goals in the regular season, did not record a goal or assist but contributed to Nathan Ordas’s 79th-minute winning goal.

LAFC took the lead in the 20th minute when a low cross from Ryan Hollingshead deflected off an Austin defender and went into the net for an own goal. The home team continued to press but was repeatedly denied by the Austin goalkeeper. In the 63rd minute, Austin midfielder Jon Gallagher of Ireland scored the equalizer.

Son changed the game late. In the 79th minute, he collected the ball in midfield, drove into the penalty area, and passed to Denis Bouanga on the left. Bouanga’s shot deflected off a defender, and Nathan Ordaz followed in to slot home the rebound. Son was not credited with an assist, but his contribution was evident. He was substituted in stoppage time.

Starting up front alongside Bouanga, Son had two shots on target and created seven scoring chances while leading LAFC’s attack. Football statistics site FotMob gave him a game-high rating of 8.1 and named him the match’s best player. Major League Soccer posted on X that Son “always makes his presence felt.”

With the win, LAFC takes a series lead and will play Game 2 at Austin on Nov. 3. The first round is a best-of-three series, while the conference semifinals, conference finals and MLS Cup final are single-elimination matches.

According to the 2025 salary guide released the same day by the MLS Players Association, Son’s base salary is $10,368,750, ranking second in the league behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, who earns $12 million. Including prorated signing bonuses and marketing incentives, Son’s guaranteed annual compensation is $11,152,852. With LAFC’s total payroll just over $30 million, Son’s salary accounts for roughly one-third of the club’s spending.


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