Seoul: Son Heung-min marked his Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) debut with a strong performance as a second-half substitute in an away match, drawing a key penalty that led to his team's equalizer.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Son came off the bench in the 61st minute to replace David Martinez for his first Major League Soccer (MLS) match against Chicago Fire FC at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois. LAFC fought back for a 2-2 draw in the match. Some 10 minutes after firing a weak left-footed shot from outside the box in the 67th minute, Son made his presence felt, with LAFC trailing 2-1.
He was sent on a counterbreak after Brian Gutierrez hit the left goal post at the other end and was brought down by a hard challenge from Carlos Teran. Referee Ricardo Montero initially let the play continue, but after a call from the video assistant referee, Montero reviewed the play and awarded LAFC a penalty. Denis Bouanga converted the ensuing spot kick to level the score.
Son had a right-footed shot blocked by Chicago's Jonathan Dean during stoppage time as the teams ended in a stalemate. Son said afterward he was "a bit disappointed" with not coming away with a victory but felt everyone "put in a lot of effort." He expressed happiness about making his debut and hoped for goals soon, noting it was a decent 30 minutes for him and that he was getting ready for the next week.
LAFC will next play New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (local time), or 8:30 a.m. Sunday in South Korea. Son was unveiled as the newest member of LAFC on Wednesday, after ending his 10-year tenure with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. The 33-year-old was greeted by South Korean fans waving their national flags, as well as several Tottenham fans in Son's old Spurs shirt.