SON HEUNG-MIN’S BMO STADIUM DEBUT OVERSHADOWED AS SAN DIEGO FC EDGE LAFC 2–1

Los Angeles was buzzing on Sunday night as Son Heung-Min finally made his long-awaited home debut for LAFC. The former Premier League Golden Boot winner, who joined the Black & Gold earlier this month, stepped onto the pitch at BMO Stadium to a sea of South Korean flags fluttering among the relentless energy of the 3252. But despite the spectacle and the anticipation, it was league leaders San Diego FC who silenced the crowd with a 2–1 victory that reaffirmed their grip on first place in Major League Soccer.

The night began with symbolic flourish as civil rights icon Dolores Huerta released the matchday falcon, a ritual that signaled not just another game but a marquee clash. Fifth-place LAFC entered the evening with one of the best home records in the league since 2018, but they hadn’t played at BMO since late July, when they fell to Portland. Their opponents, meanwhile, have built a reputation for thriving away from home, having collected more points on the road than at Snapdragon Stadium.

From kickoff, LAFC surged forward with urgency. Denis Bouanga and David Martínez linked up to produce the game’s opening goal in the 15th minute, a precise finish that sent the stadium into early euphoria. Bouanga nearly doubled the lead ten minutes later, only for San Diego to find their way back. The visitors’ patience in possession wore down LAFC’s rhythm, and in the 32nd minute Hirving Lozano capitalized on a defensive lapse to level the score. The equalizer shifted the tone, with tensions rising and both sides trading blows until halftime.

The second half turned into a battle of attrition. Martínez was forced off after a hard collision, leaving LAFC without one of their key attacking outlets. San Diego seized the moment. Just after the hour mark, Anders Dreyer delivered the decisive play of the night, slicing through defenders and burying a low shot that left the home crowd stunned.

From there, the match became a showcase for Son. Hungry to mark his homecoming with a statement, he nearly found the net on several occasions. In the 74th minute he was called offside after a clever run, and not long after he rattled the post with a shot that seemed destined for glory. The stadium erupted in gasps, the moment hanging in the air as if willing the ball across the line. Instead, the crossbar intervened.

LAFC threw everything forward in the closing stages. Bouanga tested Dos Santos with a blistering strike, Segura narrowly missed with a header, and Son pushed through the San Diego defense again and again. With nine minutes of stoppage time added, the Black & Gold swarmed the box, but San Diego’s defense—anchored by the veteran calm of Dos Santos—refused to break. When the final whistle blew, the scoreline read 2–1 in favor of the visitors, and LAFC’s furious second-half siege had yielded only frustration.

The match was more than just a clash of standings. It was a milestone night for Son, who finally stepped onto the BMO Stadium pitch in front of his new home supporters. Though he didn’t find the back of the net, his relentless movement, sharp runs, and near-goal off the post electrified the crowd and underscored why his arrival has generated so much excitement. Every touch he took drew a roar, and while the final breakthrough never came, the energy in the stadium reflected how central he already is to LAFC’s identity.

For San Diego, the win was another statement in a season already full of them, cementing their status as the team to beat. For LAFC, the loss kept them stuck in fifth place, unable to close the gap on the leaders despite an inspired homecoming. Yet the energy inside BMO Stadium suggested something larger. Fans roared with every Son attempt, waved flags in his honor, and left with a mix of pride and frustration. The night was not theirs, but it hinted at what could be if Son and Bouanga continue to find rhythm together.

When the dust settled, it was San Diego who left Los Angeles with three points, but it was Son who left an impression. His debut at BMO Stadium may not have delivered the fairytale ending, but it provided a glimpse of a player capable of igniting the city. And while San Diego extended their dominance, the story of the night was clear: LAFC have a new talisman, and his journey in Los Angeles is only just beginning.

Written by: Ana Oquendo

Photographed by: Steven Esperanza