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By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- Son Heung-min and his Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) have been eliminated in the semifinals of their top regional tournament after absorbing a crushing loss in Mexico.
LAFC fell to the Mexican club Deportivo Toluca FC 4-0 in the second leg of the semifinals at the Concacaf Champions Cup at Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca, Mexico, on Wednesday (local time). LAFC won the opening leg in Los Angeles 2-1, with Son assisting both goals, but ended up losing 5-2 on aggregate.
Son Heung-min of Los Angeles Football Club (R) reacts as Deportivo Toluca FC players celebrate their fourth goal during the second leg of the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup at Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca, Mexico, on May 6, 2026, in this Associated Press photo. (Yonhap)
Toluca scored all four goals in their dominant second half after striking the woodwork twice in the opening 45 minutes.
Helinho converted a penalty in the 49th minute after being fouled by Ryan Hollingshead. The aggregate score was now even at 2-2, and Toluca would have had the edge in that case thanks to the away goals rule.
But Toluca were not done.
Everado Lopez doubled the home side's lead with a rocket of a shot from outside the box in the 58th minute. Jesus Ricardo Angulo hit the right goal post in an open chance in the 79th minute. That gave LAFC a glimmer of hope because a goal by the visitors would even up the aggregate score at 3-3 and send the match to extra time.
However, it was all but dashed when defender Ryan Porteous was sent off in the 86th minute with a foul on Nicolas Castro.
Paulinho Dias finished off 10-man LAFC by scoring two goals two minutes apart during stoppage time.
LAFC, runners-up in 2020 and 2023, were in pursuit of their first Concacaf title. They managed only five shot attempts and had one on target -- none by Son -- while Toluca peppered LAFC with 31 shot attempts and 14 shots on goal.
Son Heung-min of Los Angeles Football Club (front) battles Helinho of Deportivo Toluca FC for the ball during the second leg of the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup at Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca, Mexico, on May 6, 2026, in this Reuters photo. (Yonhap)
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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