Son Heung-min scored two goals and Denis Bouanga added another as Los Angeles FC beat St Louis City 3-0 on Saturday for a fourth straight MLS victory.
Bouanga’s 23rd goal of the season puts him one behind Inter Miami’s Argentine superstar Lionel Messi atop the MLS scoring charts.
Messi has 24 goals in 23 games, but he came up empty as Miami were held to a 1-1 draw with Toronto.
Photo: AFP
South Korea star Son, the former Tottenham captain who signed with LAFC last month for a reported MLS record US$26 million, has eight goals in eight MLS games, quickly settling in with Bouanga to build a formidable attack.
Gabon international Bouanga seized upon a St Louis miscue and buried a shot from outside the area to give LAFC a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute, marking his fifth straight game with at least one goal.
Son made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time, collecting a pass from Artem Smoliakov and motoring into the box to rifle a right-footed shot past St Louis ‘keeper Roman Burki.
Son added another in the 60th minute, firing through traffic from the center of the area after Smoliakov threaded a pass back to him.
Bouanga and Son became the first duo in MLS history to score 17 consecutive goals for a club in a single regular season.
They have 18 goals between them in their eight matches together and LAFC, already qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs, strengthened their grip on fourth place in the Western Conference.
Messi had gone into Saturday’s game in Toronto in blistering form, bagging five goals in his previous three appearances for Miami.
However, although the 38-year-old carved out a string of promising openings, a superb performance from Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson prevented him from extending his recent spree.
Miami, who have already booked their postseason berth, appeared on course for all three points at BMO Field after Tadeo Allende headed home a Jordi Alba cross in first-half stoppage time for a 1-0 lead.
However, Miami’s suspect defense was once again exposed in the second half, with a string of blunders gifting Djordje Mihailovic a close-range equalizer in the 60th minute.
The draw leaves Miami on 56 points in the Eastern Conference, level with New York City FC and four points behind leaders Philadelphia with a game in hand.
BOUNCE BACK: Curry scored 46 points in the Warriors’ victory over the Spurs, after ‘everybody stepped up’ following Tuesday’s blowout loss to Oklahoma City Nikola Jokic scoring 50 or more points had never been enough for the Denver Nuggets to win — until now. Jokic on Wednesday night tied the highest-scoring performance in the NBA this season with 55 points, as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-116 for their sixth straight victory. The Nuggets were 0-4 in his previous 50-point outbursts. “It’s a good feeling,” the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player said. He equaled Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 55 in a double-overtime game at the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 23. Jokic has been on a roll during Denver’s winning streak. He is the
The tri-nation Twenty20 international series featuring hosts Pakistan, as well as Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, is to be played entirely in Rawalpindi from Tuesday next week, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said yesterday, after this week’s suicide bombing in the capital, Islamabad. The change came after at least eight Sri Lankan players asked to leave over security fears following Tuesday’s bombing that killed 12 people and wounded 27. Their country’s cricket board issued a stern directive to the team to stay put or face consequences. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said the decision to stay was taken after “close consultations” with hosts Pakistan who
France’s Kevin Aymoz snatched the men’s title at Skate America on Saturday, winning his first grand prix title with a battling free skate, while short program leader Kazuki Tomono faltered. It was an emotional triumph for Aymoz, who made his grand prix level debut in 2017, with seven prior podium finishes, but no gold. He had struggled with a painful foot injury since a disappointing 10th-place finish at Skate Canada last month. “It was so difficult,” the 28-year-old said. “After Skate Canada I wanted to give up so much and today I’m here and it’s so beautiful to be with my friends competing
Australian restaurant chain Grill’d has made a cheeky apology for putting a “curse” on Oscar Piastri’s Formula One title hopes with their offer of a free burger for every time the McLaren driver gets on the podium. The Melbourne native has not finished in the top three since the promotion relaunched five races ago, losing the championship lead to teammate Lando Norris and now 24 points behind. Online conspiracy theorists have been quick to put two and two together. The chain’s Piastri 81 Burger debuted ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in March, with his endorsement, and was relaunched in September after he
RSS