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Portland’s Early Goal Holds as LAFC Rotates Son

8/23/2026

33 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

LAFC Bombards

LAFC set a club record with 34 shots, 21 in the first half.
Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis made 10 saves, including a stop on Bouanga’s shot.
David Da Costa scored in the fourth minute, giving Portland a 1-0 lead for 75 minutes.
LAFC’s next six matches include five road games, a stretch that will test the squad.
The game began at 7:30 pm PST during a Los Angeles heatwave, adding a mental challenge.

Summary

Son Starts

Son Heung-min started LAFC’s MLS Round 22 match in Los Angeles.
He had been a second-half substitute against Colorado on August 20.
Coach Marc Dos Santos cited eight matches in a month and leg fatigue as reasons for rotation.
Son has not scored or assisted in his last five official games, including a 0-1 loss.

History

Historical Context

FIFA’s heat-break policy, formalized with three-minute hydration pauses at the 22-minute mark for the 2026 World Cup, grew from earlier short “drink breaks” introduced in the 2021-22 A-League season. That legacy appeared in MLS when LAFC’s 33 °C showdown with Portland forced coach Marc Dos Santos to rotate Son Heung-min and rely on goalkeeper James Pantemis’s ten saves.

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LAFC Bombards

LAFC set a club record with 34 shots, 21 in the first half.
Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis made 10 saves, including a stop on Bouanga’s shot.
David Da Costa scored in the fourth minute, giving Portland a 1-0 lead for 75 minutes.
LAFC’s next six matches include five road games, a stretch that will test the squad.
The game began at 7:30 pm PST during a Los Angeles heatwave, adding a mental challenge.

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