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It took less than 25 minutes for LAFC’s attacking duo to put the series out of reach.
In the 20th minute, Son Heung-min opened the scoring with a silky step-over and low finish after Denis Bouanga dispossessed Mikkel Desler at midfield. Just four minutes later, the South Korean star returned the favor — racing onto a long pass from Sergi Palencia and squaring the ball for Bouanga to fire home his 100th goal for LAFC in all competitions.
Bouanga 🤝 Son 🤝 Goalscorer's mindset.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 3, 2025
Since Son joined @LAFC, he and Denis Bouanga have accounted for 23 of the club's 32 goals. pic.twitter.com/aKN6j979uO
Austin briefly threatened to claw back when Dani Pereira converted a penalty before halftime, but the visitors’ control never wavered. Bouanga added a second just before the break, and substitute Jeremy Ebobisse sealed the scoreline in stoppage time after a blistering counterattack led by Mark Delgado.
Historic Milestones for the Black & Gold
Bouanga’s brace pushed him to 101 total goals for the club and 10 in the MLS postseason, making him both LAFC’s all-time top scorer and the leading active playoff scorer in MLS.
Meanwhile, Son’s first postseason goal and assist extended his immediate impact since arriving from Tottenham Hotspur — the two have now combined for 23 of LAFC’s last 32 goals across all competitions.
“They feed off each other,” head coach Steve Cherundolo said post-match. “Bouanga and Son are world-class finishers who also defend and set the tone for the team.”
With the win, LAFC improved to 11W–6L–1D all-time in MLS playoffs, including 10 postseason victories under Cherundolo. The club remains the only MLS team to reach the Conference Semifinals in each of the last four seasons.
🎙️ Watch the Full Breakdown: Section 128 Podcast
In this week’s Section 128 episode, Celso Oliveira and Erik Hultstrom analyze LAFC’s dominant performance in Austin, break down Bouanga’s record-setting night, and preview the Western Conference Semifinal clash against Thomas Müller’s Vancouver Whitecaps.
🎧 Available now on YouTube and all podcast platforms.
Next Stop: Vancouver
And for the third consecutive season, LAFC will face Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the playoffs — this time at BC Place, where more than 23,000 fans have already secured their tickets and a sell out crowd is expected.
The matchup will feature Son Heung-min against Thomas Müller, two football icons now central to their MLS clubs’ championship ambitions. A win would send LAFC to the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years.
Kickoff: Saturday, November 22 (5:30 p.m. PT)
Broadcast: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Game 2 Key Stats:
- Bouanga: 2 goals (100th & 101st), 1 assist
- Son: 1 goal, 1 assist (first postseason goal)
- Lloris: 3 saves, 1 PK stop
- LAFC: 11–6–1 all-time in playoffs; 4 straight Semifinals appearances
