Bouanga and Son Shatter MLS Records While Vela Witnesses Historic Moment
During an evening dedicated to celebrating club icon Carlos Vela and honoring the past, LAFC continued forging their modern-day legends.
In their second dominant performance against Real Salt Lake within days, LAFC secured another commanding 4-1 victory, featuring a hat-trick from Denis Bouanga and a single strike from Son Heung-min, reversing the goal-scoring roles from their midweek encounter in Sandy, Utah.
This triumph elevated LAFC to fourth place in the Western Conference standings and created historic moments for their two star players, as they continue developing after securing an MLS Cup Playoff berth thanks to favorable results from the previous evening.
Bouanga achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first player in MLS history to net 20 goals across three consecutive seasons, raising his current tally to 22 for the campaign, matching Inter Miami's Lionel Messi in the race for the MLS Golden Boot.
Son, meanwhile, extended his impressive run through his initial seven appearances, accumulating six goals and two assists, as the pair continued developing one of MLS's most devastating attacking combinations, having collaborated on LAFC's previous 14 goals.
"Having Bouanga on our squad is tremendous. He represents one of our elite-level talents," Son remarked about his new striking partner. "Achieving 20 goals across three consecutive seasons is an incredible accomplishment...it's not coincidental, it's not fortune, he trains exceptionally hard to position himself for scoring opportunities, and we must recognize that dedication."
While much attention focused on Bouanga for his record-setting week, having overtaken Vela as the franchise's leading scorer, the two encounters with Salt Lake also showcased the developing chemistry between these attacking talents.
Beyond producing spectacular goals through perfectly placed shots or beautifully constructed sequences, they have embraced one another with infectious enthusiasm that radiates through their passionate celebrations before the home crowd.
"Finding the net in front of our capacity crowd feels truly extraordinary," Son continued. "We required our supporters' backing...and subsequently, our display and intensity elevated, enabling us to net four goals, creating pure happiness."
Head coach Steve Cherndolo commented on the partnership: "When two forwards demonstrate such prolific scoring ability, it energizes the entire squad... As a defender, you'll gladly sprint for 100 minutes, regardless of match duration, when your attackers are converting chances like Denis and Sonny are converting chances."
Son Honors Carlos Vela
With Vela present and another milestone display from Bouanga and Son, Sunday's contest represented a symbolic transition of leadership. Son now aims to establish his own legacy alongside Bouanga, with 2025 appearing promising for pursuing additional championships.
"Despite being in Europe, I followed several matches featuring [Carlos Vela] representing this organization, and he delivered outstanding performances," Son said regarding the Mexican icon who tallied 93 goals across 186 appearances in all competitions and spearheaded the charge with Gareth Bale and Bouanga toward the 2022 MLS Cup triumph.
"He remains forever welcome at this club, cherished by supporters and the organization alike. Seeing him on the field brought joy to everyone present. Someday, I aspire to achieve similar status, so upon retirement, I can return to LA and receive that same warm reception."
With postseason qualification secured, the objective for Son, Bouanga, and LAFC involves maintaining their current form through the remaining five fixtures, building momentum for the opening-round best-of-three series, where they hope to secure home-field advantage as a top-four seed.
"I struggle to find words describing [playing alongside Son] because it feels instinctive," Bouanga expressed in French. "You witness it currently, and you'll continue seeing it through season's end."