Son Heung-min nets first MLS hat-trick as LAFC beat Real Salt Lake

Son Heung-min shines in 4-1 win

Son Heung-min scored his maiden Major League Soccer hat-trick as Los Angeles FC thrashed Real Salt Lake 4-1 on Wednesday at Rio Tinto Stadium.

The South Korean forward struck twice in the opening 16 minutes, and added a third on 82 minutes, bringing his season tally to five goals in six appearances since joining LAFC from Tottenham last month.

"It's incredible to score my first MLS hat-trick," Son said. "I’m grateful to everyone here at the club. Even on days I don't score, I enjoy playing and achieving positive results away from home. I'm embracing every training session and match."

Bouanga sets club scoring record

Denis Bouanga wrapped up the scoring, netting his 94th goal in all competitions and surpassing Carlos Vela as LAFC's all-time leading scorer. The Gabon international now has 19 MLS goals this season, trailing only Nashville’s Sam Surridge (21) and Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi (20).

Bouanga, who joined from St-Etienne in 2022, also provided the assist for Son’s second goal, making LAFC the first club in the season to produce back-to-back hat-trick scorers.

LAFC push into playoff contention

The victory lifted LAFC above the Seattle Sounders into fourth place in the Western Conference, with six regular-season matches remaining. Their next fixture sees Real Salt Lake travel to Los Angeles on Sunday, where the club will honour Carlos Vela as their first-ever signing and current ambassador.

Son Heung-min’s first MLS hat-trick highlights his seamless transition to LAFC and boosts the club’s push in the Western Conference.

This topic was reported by BBC Sport.

Discover engaging topics and analytical content in Sports News as of 18-09-2025. The article titled " Son Heung-min nets first MLS hat-trick as LAFC beat Real Salt Lake " provides new insights and practical guidance in the Sports News field. Each topic is meticulously analyzed to deliver actionable information to readers.

The topic " Son Heung-min nets first MLS hat-trick as LAFC beat Real Salt Lake " helps you make smarter decisions within the Sports News category. All topics on our website are unique and offer valuable content for our audience.