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First official full slate come back night for the MLS after the midseason World Cup break and LAFC hosts Real Salt Lake at home. It’s a packed house as usual at BMO, but it’s also Son Heung-Min bobblehead night! Coming off an impressive 3-0 drubbing of the Galaxy, LAFC is looking to continue the momentum in front of the 3252.
RSL gets comes out aggressively pushing the pace on offense and creating a goal scoring chance that was denied by a leaping Hugo Lloris. Good way to start a game for RSL. This could be a free-flowing game.
It didn’t take long for LAFC to answer on offense. Enter, Son Heung-Min, who just needs a touch on the ball to put it to the back of the net, which is exactly what he does, just outside of the 10th minute. LAFC gets on the board early 1-0.
Remember when all the talk was about Sonny losing his form and not being the same player? Yeah, that can be buried. He’s back to being the electric and dominant Son. When you have a world-class athlete, they don’t just fall off the cliff and don’t bounce back. He’s back with a vengeance, so the MLS is back on notice again.
RLS back on the offensive trying to regain their pace after that Sonny goal. If there is one thing RSL has, it’s the offensive firepower from Diego Luna and Zavier Gonzo to get back in a game.
All it takes for LAFC is one moment, which Mathieu Choiniere provided for Denis Bouanga in the 40th minute. A feed to Denis, who takes on two guys in the box and adds another moment of wizardry. Bouanga with the step-over and launches the ball to the back of the net. It’s 2-0 LAFC and it must feel like dejavu for RSL. Who came into BMO last September and were greeted with a hat trick from Bouanga and a 4-1 domination.
At halftime, LAFC in control of the game. RSL had a few moments, but it’s LAFC who took advantage and got on the scoreboard twice. The main men are in top form, now it’s up to the rest of the team to close it out in the second half.
The second half gets under way and Son just misses another one by a food wide of the far post. LAFC is still pushing and going for more. This is the type of mentality this team had at the start of the season and it’s a welcome sight for the supporters and certainly Marc Dos Santos.
A moment of controversy in the 66th, when Ryan Hollingshead gets taken down, in what appears to be a yellow card situation, but to LAFC’s surprise, no call, play on. Certainly it looked like a foul to me and to the sold out crowd at BMO.
LAFC said, it’s fine. A minute later Sonny gets the ball on the right flank and takes a shot on goal, that gets deflected by the sliding Deandre Yedlin who knocks it inadvertently to the back of his own net. This is game over. LAFC up 3-0 with 20 minutes to go.
Dominating performance by LAFC for the second match in a row. For RSL, it’s flashback to the last time they were at BMO. A place of horrors for them. LAFC is coming out of the break like a team on a mission that is ready to compete for the MLS Cup in this second half of the season.
RSL was able to salvage something and deny LA a shutout, with a late goal in the 85th from Lukas Engel. It will look slightly better on the final stat line, but LAFC gets those three points and pushes RSL back in the standings.
Player of the Match:
Son Heung-Min set the tone for the game with the early goal. He was involved in the third goal also. He’s back to being the Sonny that LAFC supporters have been clamoring for this season.
LAFC will be back at BMO Stadium on Saturday, July 25, when it hosts Sporting Kansas City. That match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on Apple TV
