Soccer <\/p>\n
In front of a packed house at Levi\u2019s Stadium, LAFC<\/a>\u2019s superstars wasted no time giving the fans what they wanted to see.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Just a minute into the game, Son Heung-Min<\/a> finished a lovely team move to go up 1-0 in Saturday’s rivalry clash with the San Jose Earthquakes<\/a>. By the 12th minute, Denis Bouanga<\/a> had added two more.<\/p>\n Led by Bouanga\u2019s eventual hat trick, LAFC went on to secure a 4-2 victory<\/a> to keep pace in the battle for the Western Conference\u2019s top four spots.<\/p>\n \u201cI was very pleased with the performance tonight,\u201d manager Steve Cherundolo said after the game. \u201cWe were very effective with our chances and could have had one or two more.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The stars were the headliners as LAFC picked up a crucial three points ahead of the stretch run.<\/p>\n Son, in his fifth appearance after signing for an MLS-record transfer fee<\/a> this summer, picked up where he left off during the international break with South Korea, where he totaled 2g\/1a across two friendlies against the USMNT and Mexico.<\/p>\n \u201cSonny is very consistent, whether he plays for his national team or for us,\u201d Cherundolo said. \u201cAnd that makes it very easy for his teammates to put him in positions to score. He\u2019s a sprinter, he doesn\u2019t do anything at a slow pace. It is fast, it is clean, it is firm, and it is always, always dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Bouanga, for his part, has proven a dominant running mate for Son in LA. His hat trick against the Quakes gave him 93 goals in his LAFC career and 13 multi-goal games, both of which are tied for the most in club history with Carlos Vela.<\/p>\n With 18 goals on the year, he\u2019s now two away from becoming the first MLS player to score 20 goals in three straight seasons.<\/p>\n He produced this performance just four days after starting two World Cup qualifying fixtures for Gabon, scoring a hat trick in the first match against Seychelles.<\/p>\n \u201cHis dedication, his ability, and his mentality to come in and want to play and score and do what he can for his team is awesome,\u201d Cherundolo said.<\/p>\n All three of his goals came from counter-attacks and timely runs in behind, evidence of the burgeoning chemistry between Bouanga and Son.<\/p>\n \u201c[Son] and Denis, when they have fresh legs, they are very dangerous,\u201d he said. \u201cThey combine well, they play in behind \u2026 we hope we can keep putting them in positions to score.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The win corrects LAFC\u2019s 2-1 loss<\/a> to SoCal rival San Diego FC<\/a> before the international break. The Black & Gold now trail Seattle Sounders FC<\/a> by one point, with a game in hand, for the fourth spot in the West, which secures homefield advantage in the postseason.<\/p>\n LAFC have a packed schedule down the stretch as they position themselves for the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. They have seven matches left over the next month, starting with two in a row against Real Salt Lake<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re fighting to be the best in the standings by the end of the year and get a nice spot in the playoffs,\u201d midfielder Mathieu Choini\u00e8re<\/a> said. \u201cGetting that win on the road, it’s big for our confidence to keep moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n They will no doubt be looking to Son and Bouanga to keep up the heroics down the stretch.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all share this in the locker room \u2014 we are building the momentum for the playoffs,\u201d Choini\u00e8re said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nSon steps up<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Club legend status<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Chasing homefield<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n