Son Heung-Min, Denis Bouanga and LAFC are rolling into top form.
The Black & Gold maintained their lead atop the Western Conference, with an eye-popping 6-0 win over Orlando City.
Son led the charge with a remarkable four first-half assists, while 2025 MVP finalist Bouanga got on the end of three of them.
First-half dominance
LAFC jumped out to a quick seventh-minute lead with the help of an own goal. After that, Son and Bouanga took over.
On three straight occasions, Son set the table for Bouanga, who made no mistake, converting each of his first three shots for a 4-0 lead after 28 minutes.
Sergi Palencia was next to receive a Son assist, making it 5-0 before halftime.
“Sonny has been amazing for our group,” head coach Marc Dos Santos said. “He doesn’t have to score every time. He has to help the team, and that’s what he’s doing, so I see it in a different way.
“[He was] involved in our five goals in the first half. What more can we ask? If people think he’s going to score five goals in every game, it’s delusional… Sonny gives a lot; he works hard. I have full trust in him, and man, what a performance in the first half.
"It was savage, the way he played.”
History-makers
Incredibly, Son became just the second player in MLS history to record four assists in one half. The only other was Lionel Messi, who notched five against the Red Bull New York in 2024.
Bouanga’s rapid hat trick – completed within the space of eight minutes – was the fourth earliest ever in the league. It was the third-shortest-ever period to complete a hat trick.
Son, who returned this week from international duty with South Korea, brings his 2026 assist total to 10 across all competitions. Despite lining up as a nominal No. 9, the ex-Tottenham star has proven more of a provider than a goalscorer in Los Angeles.
Continental clash awaits
Next up, the Black & Gold face Cruz Azul in the Concacaf Champions Cup. After two final defeats in the last six years, becoming continental champions has become another priority.
This time, they’ll have to face one of the top teams in Mexico with a semifinal berth on the line.
“What we have in our heads is to always be humble and work hard no matter the rival, no matter where we play, and I think today we showed that,” Palencia said. “We always play with ambition, we want more, we want more goals. We want to respect the opponent; we don’t do crazy things or make fun of the opponent.
“We went to our job, and everybody is doing great with no selfishness. It’s great to have the squad that we have, and it’s huge for us to prepare for Cruz Azul.”
