Sports
Western Conference Semifinal showdown features a duo built for a championship run
For the fourth straight season, LAFC is back in the MLS Western Conference Semifinals – and this time, they may have their most explosive weapon yet: a partnership that feels engineered for trophies.
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When LAFC meets the second-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night at a sold-out BC Place, all eyes will be on the attacking duo of Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga, a combination that has transformed the Black & Gold into the most dangerous team left in the West.
Maurice Edu and former U.S. international Dax McCarty believe this is the perfect clash for a conference semifinal – two elite teams, two hostile environments, and two very different paths to a potential MLS Cup that translates to an exciting soccer match.
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A heavyweight battle years in the making
LAFC comes in as the No. 3 seed, making its fourth consecutive conference semifinal appearance. Vancouver, meanwhile, is enjoying its best season in years. The Whitecaps set multiple club records and are back in the West semis for the first time since 2017.
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If LAFC makes a deep run – or lifts the cup – this season, it will almost certainly be because of one thing: the near-telepathic connection between Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga. McCarty didn’t hesitate to call it the matchup’s biggest storyline.
“You have to start with Son and Bouanga because of how dangerous it is,” McCarty said. “Those are two of the most in-form attackers in the league, and Vancouver has the second-best defense in MLS. It’s perfect.” Since Son arrived from Tottenham Hotspur in early August, the duo has combined for 23 goals and eight assists – production levels rarely seen in MLS from two forwards playing together for such a short time.
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The electric style of Son
Son has been electric, scoring 10 goals with four assists, including his first MLS playoff strike and assist in LAFC’s 4-1 win over Austin on Nov. 2. Bouanga, meanwhile, continues to build a legacy that already ranks among the league’s best.
The three-time MLS Best XI selection is the only player in MLS history with three consecutive 20-goal seasons, is LAFC’s all-time playoff scoring leader (10 goals in 14 games), and just logged his third career postseason brace. He even scored twice against Vancouver in last year’s playoffs – a reminder of just how much of a problem he can be for the Whitecaps.
But beyond the goals and accolades, what makes this pairing so devastating is the chemistry. “Son and Bouanga pick up different positions all over the field,” McCarty explained. “They really look for each other. And that’s a mismatch for Vancouver – those two are significantly faster and have more pace than Vancouver’s center backs.”
