Something has gone very wrong. The 'Heung-bo duo' that LAFC once boasted is disappearing from the pitch. Son Heung-min (34) and Denis Bouanga (32) are unable to exert influence.
The U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS)–focused podcast MLS Moves said on the 24th (Korea time) on social media, "The Son Heung-min and Bouanga duo have combined for only four goals in nine MLS regular-season matches. I've been talking for a while about how broken this team's attack is," and sighed.
The outlet added, "Now others are starting to understand what I've been saying," and pointed out, "Coach Mark Dos Santos has no answer. The support Bouanga and Sonny are receiving is completely zero."
In fact, MLS Moves raised the question in mid-March: "The fall of the LAFC duo? Son Heung-min and Bouanga combined for 17 goals in the final eight MLS matches of 2025 under coach Steven Cherundolo. That was a historic record. But their total dropped sharply to seven goals in the first eight matches of 2026 under coach Dos Santos. Something has changed," it asked.
Now that results are not following, the problem has risen to the surface. LAFC drew 0-0 with the Colorado Rapids in a Western Conference round 9 home match of the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on the 23rd. LAFC added only one home point and remained in third place.
LAFC, which had been riding an unbeaten run early in the season, failed to find footing for a rebound after two consecutive losses and a draw. With the gap to the midtable closing, a steep drop in the standings would not be surprising. The image of a title contender led by the Son Heung-min and Bouanga duo has long since disappeared.
It was close to the worst in terms of content as well. That day LAFC had no ball supply from midfield and did not record a single shot in the first half. Son Heung-min was continually isolated and was substituted in the 76th minute with zero shots. It was not much different from the 1-4 home rout against the San Jose Earthquakes.
As the problem repeated, Son Heung-min could not hide his frustration. His face hardened as soon as he checked the substitution instruction, and he repeated gestures of incomprehension while walking off. He looked full of displeasure even when briefly greeting coach Dos Santos and the coaching staff.
Now criticism of coach Dos Santos' tactics is growing even in the United States. In fact, it was an issue exposed from the start of the season. Although it was hidden by the unbeaten run, LAFC's performance was below expectations. The destructive power of Son Heung-min and Bouanga, considered MLS' best attacking duo, has sharply declined, and many victories came from wonder goals after frustrating stretches.
In the end the bomb has been exploding since the San Jose match. MLS Moves said immediately after the San Jose game, "This was LAFC's worst performance since the start of 2026. It brought back many of the questions we've raised about this team throughout the season. In particular, questions about how this team will score goals, what happens when the defense eventually collapses, and when Loris can no longer keep saving like a superhero."
Figuring out how to use Son Heung-min and Bouanga appears to be an urgent priority. The outlet criticized coach Dos Santos' consistent use of Son Heung-min as an attacking midfielder, saying, "I don't understand it. Son Heung-min should remain a striker and receive better passes. Because the passing is awful, there is nothing the forwards can do."
But coach Dos Santos defended it as fatigue. After the match he said, "There is no time to rest or to train on things we want to improve. Especially after the Minnesota game we have to keep thinking about recovery, so the whole team cannot train at 100%. If you play every three days, it is normal for the team to have ups and downs. It's not an excuse; this is reality."
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