Heun-min Son was the hero of the match after 90 minutes – but after 120 minutes, he was the tragic figure – while Thomas Müller was able to celebrate once again.
Pure disappointment was written all over Heung-min Son’s face as he limped away from the penalty spot with a pained expression in the early hours of Sunday morning, German time.
Heung-min Son put his hands over his head after his miss
“It’s on me. The team gave everything, I’m very proud. Like I said: It’s on me,” explained a visibly dejected Son after the game.
A Kramps at the Worst Possible Time
As the star of the team, and as befits a true leader, he stepped up as the first taker in the penalty shootout – and failed. In the end, his shot bounced off the post.
“I always want to lead from the front,” said Son, who revealed that he stepped up to the penalty spot despite cramps. “In the second half of extra time, I had muscle cramps and didn’t feel good, but I felt responsible. When I took the penalty, I felt the cramp again at the last moment before the shot and the shot wasn’t as precise as I could have been,” said the 33-year-old, who insisted that his words not be taken as an excuse.
Son Scored Heroically in Injury Time
Everything was actually set up for an epic hero story, in which Son brought his team back into the game after a 0-2 deficit. First he reduced the deficit – admittedly rather unspectacularly – after several follow-up attempts following his own miss (60th minute), then he scored the equalizer with a dream free-kick in added time (90+5).
Heung-min Son experiences a dramatic game without a happy ending
From a half-left position, the long-time Tottenham star curled the ball into the top left corner. Suddenly, the momentum was fully on the side of LAFC. Despite being vastly superior, Son and Co. failed to force a decision in extra time.
This was to be decided from the spot after 120 minutes – and initiated with the confident Son as the first taker. At least that was the plan, which was not crowned with success. Müller and Co. celebrated a thriller triumph, for Los Angeles the season is over.
Once again, the ex-Bayern star emerges as the winner from the duel with the South Korean. In the past, FCB had always “destroyed” Son’s teams, Müller had already joked before the MLS cracker. This time, too, his opponent was on the ground, even if the circumstances were different.
Joy and Sorrow are Close Together
His team was never to recover from Son’s shot against the post, and the penalty shootout was lost 3-4. Joy and sorrow are known to be close together. While Müller and his team celebrated their entry into the semi-finals, the frustration at LAFC and especially at Son was deep.
But he shouldn’t feel guilty. Without his brace, the evening for his team would have been over without a sound after 90 minutes. And in general: With twelve goals and four assists from 13 games in the MLS, the South Korean, who only moved to the MLS this summer, doesn’t seem to have arrived too badly.
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