Son Heung-min scores first MLS goal after World Cup

The Korea captain found the net in his first match back as LAFC beat rival LA Galaxy 3-0 on Friday.

Sports Desk
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Son Heung-Min of Los Angeles FC celebrates after scoring the team's third goal during the MLS match between LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Football Club at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 17 in Carson, California.

Korea’s national football team captain Son Heung-min scored his first Major League Soccer goal of the season in his first match for Los Angeles FC (LAFC) after returning from the FIFA World Cup.

LAFC cruised to a 3-0 victory over regional rivals LA Galaxy in an away match in the 16th round of the 2026 Major League Soccer regular season at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, on Friday.

Starting as the lone striker, Son sealed the victory in the 57th minute with a powerful right-footed strike after LAFC had taken a 2-0 lead. After dribbling past defenders, he played the ball to Mark Delgado, received the return pass and fired it home.

The goal was Son's first in the MLS this season. Before the World Cup, he had scored only twice in the Concacaf Champions Cup while providing nine assists in league play without finding the net since the MLS season kicked off in February.

After Korea was eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup, Son returned to his club and got back on the scoresheet in his first match back.


BY PIH JU-YOUNG [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]

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This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

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