LAFC once again proved it knows how to perform when everything’s on the line. The 4–1 win over Austin FC at Q2 Stadium sent the black and gold into the Western Conference semifinals of the 2025 MLS Cup and extended an impressive streak: four straight years among the conference’s top four teams. No other club in the league has managed that. It was a confident, precise performance defined by the connection between Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga, who tore apart Austin’s defense before halftime.
Son and Bouanga lead the show
The game started even, but it took just 20 minutes for LAFC to take control. In the 21st, Son opened the scoring on a fast counterattack, slipping past Ilie Sánchez before finishing with his left foot into the corner. It was his 10th goal since joining the club and his first in the MLS playoffs. Four minutes later, the South Korean returned the favor, sending in a perfect cross from the right for Denis Bouanga to double the lead. The Gabonese forward added another in the 44th minute, before Austin’s Dani Pereira pulled one back from the penalty spot just before halftime.
In the second half, the pace slowed, but LAFC never lost control. Head coach Steve Cherundolo made timely changes, and substitute Jeremy Ebobisse sealed the score in stoppage time. The result sent LAFC through in style and confirmed the team’s dominance over the series.
Bouanga reached 101 goals for the club and didn’t hide his optimism about chasing the title. “The answer is yes, and without hesitation,” he said when asked if the team believes it can win the MLS Cup. “There’s a great team spirit right now. Everyone is united, but the most important thing in the playoffs is to take it one game at a time. With Sonny, with me, and with the team, we believe we can achieve great things. The team is very dynamic.”
A squad that understands and believes
The numbers speak for themselves. With this win, LAFC now has 11 victories, 6 losses and 1 draw in its MLS Cup playoff history. Under Cherundolo, that record stands at 10 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw — proof of the coach’s steady work since taking charge. LAFC is also the only club in the league to reach the conference semifinals in each of the past four years, something no other team has repeated between 2022 and 2025.
The win over Austin carried extra weight. It was the second time LAFC has eliminated the Texas side from the MLS Cup playoffs. The first came in 2022, when the black and gold beat Austin 3–0 in the Western Conference Final at BMO Stadium. This new victory only reinforces LAFC’s recent dominance in the matchup.
Hugo Lloris, who spent a decade with Son at Tottenham and now shares the locker room with him at LAFC, praised the forward’s efficiency. “I probably know him better than anyone else because I spent 10 years at Spurs with him, training every day and playing so many matches together. We know that when he’s one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he can finish with his right or his left. He’s completely comfortable with both feet, and that’s why he has all those personal records.”
The Frenchman also talked about Son’s influence beyond the field. “It’s not just about what he does on the pitch but also off it. He’s been fantastic for the team, very ambitious and eager to win, and he manages to pass that desire to the rest of us.”