On Oct. 17 at Citi Field in Queens, New York, Los Angeles FC drew 1-1 with New York City FC. Son Heung-min's shot on the final kick of the match struck the inside of the post and bounced out, costing him the winning goal. LAFC added one point and moved one step closer to qualifying for the playoffs.
Son Heung-min's last kick hit the post and came back out. Los Angeles FC (LAFC) drew 1-1 with New York City FC (NYCFC) in a Major League Soccer (MLS) regular-season road match at Citi Field in Queens, New York, on the evening of Oct. 17. LAFC missed out on three points, but it moved one step closer to a playoff spot.
A Free Kick Won by Son, an Opening Goal by Walta
The first half was a cautious affair, with both teams intent on not conceding first. In the 10th minute, LAFC created its first chance on a counterattack. Leo Walta dribbled forward and passed to Jacob Shaffelburg on the wing, and Son headed Shaffelburg's cross, but it deflected off a defender. Six minutes later, Denis Bouanga volleyed Son's precise cross from 12 yards, but sent it over the crossbar.
The deadlock was broken in first-half stoppage time. Aiden O'Neill brought down Son, and LAFC was awarded a free kick 30 yards from goal. Walta took it, bending the ball over the wall and into the inside of the left post, beyond NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese.
It was the first goal for Walta, a Finland international who joined LAFC in late August. It was his third appearance and second start. It was also LAFC's first set-piece goal since its May 17 road match at Nashville.
An Equalizer in the 59th Minute, and Two Chances in Stoppage Time
NYCFC pressed hard from the start of the second half. LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made two saves in the first 10 minutes, and NYCFC finally leveled the score in the 59th minute. Nicolás Fernández Mercau delivered a right-side corner kick, and Andrés Perea charged to the near post and powered in a header.
The most dramatic moment came in the final minute of second-half stoppage time. Bouanga slipped in behind the defense on the left and sent in a low cross, but a defender got in the way just before it reached Son in front of the goal. Then, on the final kick of the match, Son found space on the right side of the penalty area and struck the ball with his right foot. It hit the inside of the post and bounced out, and the match ended there.
Sixth in the West With 46 Points… LA Derby on the 25th Is the Turning Point
With the draw, LAFC stayed sixth in the Western Conference at 12 wins, 9 losses and 10 draws, for 46 points. It trails Houston and San Jose, who are competing for fourth place, by one point. The top four teams in each conference host the first round of the playoffs.
Under interim head coach Xavi Tamarit, LAFC is unbeaten in three matches (one win, two draws). In matches in which LAFC has scored first this season, it is 17-0-5 across all competitions and has yet to lose.
Three Matches Left, and the LA Derby on the 25th Is the Turning Point
Three regular-season matches remain. All are against Western Conference opponents, and two are at home. All times are Eastern.
The quickest route is the match against the LA Galaxy on the 25th. With a win, LAFC would clinch its eighth playoff berth in nine years. The match will be broadcast on Apple TV, and in South Korea on Coupang Play and SPOTV. A local Korean-language radio broadcast can be heard on KYPA 1230 AM.
If LAFC wins all three remaining matches, it would reach 55 points, putting it in position to finish in the top four and possibly higher. Conversely, if it fails to pick up points, it would have to play the first round on the road. With LAFC just one point behind the teams contending for fourth place, the standings could shift with each of the three matches.
With this match, LAFC finished its head-to-head matchups with Eastern Conference teams this season at 3 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws. It was also Son Heung-min's last regular-season road trip to the U.S. East Coast.