Son Heung-min is scheduled to start for LAFC against Querétaro FC on August 13, with the forward looking to end a two-match scoring drought in the Copa de la Liga 2026. LAFC remain unbeaten in group play, but this is also a chance to reset after Son’s recent scoring run was interrupted by the start of the tournament.
The match comes at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, and it offers LAFC another opportunity to build on a strong start. They have taken one win and one draw from two matches, leaving them on five points with zero goals for and five goals against in the group stage so far. Querétaro FC, by contrast, have lost both of their group-stage matches and have not scored.
Why Son Heung-min matters here
Son’s early LAFC form showed exactly why he was brought in. After the FIFA World Cup 2026, he returned to LAFC and scored in four consecutive MLS matches against the LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City and Vancouver Whitecaps. He also found the net multiple times in the MLS All-Star Game.
But the Copa de la Liga has been different. In LAFC’s matches against Chivas Guadalajara and Toluca, Son did not score. Against Toluca on the 9th, he started as a center forward, did not register a shot and was substituted in the 23rd minute of the second half. That is the clearest sign yet that the tournament has interrupted his rhythm.
LAFC must manage the workload
The other big issue for LAFC is the schedule. After the Querétaro FC match, they are set to play four matches in just over ten days, including MLS fixtures on the 16th, 20th and 23rd. That is a heavy stretch, and Marc Dos Santos has already pointed to the physical burden on the squad.
He said: “La carga física y el desgaste del equipo son muy preocupantes. Si hubiéramos tenido siete cambios disponibles, los habríamos utilizado todos. Es difícil garantizar quién estará en las mejores condiciones para el próximo partido.”
That is an important warning for LAFC. Even with Son Heung-min scheduled to start, the question is not only whether he can score against Querétaro FC, but whether the team can keep enough energy for the run of games that follows. For LAFC, this is a useful group-stage fixture. For Son, it is a chance to get back on track before the schedule tightens again.
