Bouanga & Son - Power duo help LAFC reach fourth straight MLS Conference Semifinal | OneFootball

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.

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.

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.

Vancouver players celebrate a goal in Vancouver vs. the Whitecaps (VWFC / X)

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.