Son Heung-min's LAFC out of the Leagues Cup — unbeaten and fifth
LAFC drew 1-1 with Querétaro and won 5-3 on penalties on August 13, 2026 local time, finishing the Leagues Cup league phase unbeaten on seven points — but placed fifth among MLS clubs, one short of the four quarter-final berths
The three lines
- LAFC 1-1 Querétaro (5-3 on penalties) — one win, two draws, seven points, no defeats
- Fifth among MLS clubs behind Chicago (9) and Austin, Columbus and Real Salt Lake (8 each). Only the top four advance
- Son Heung-min took LAFC's second penalty in the shootout and scored it
Key questions
- What happened to Son Heung-min's LAFC in the Leagues Cup?
- They went out. In their final league-phase match at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, LAFC drew 1-1 with Querétaro of Liga MX over 90 minutes and won the shootout 5-3. That result left them unbeaten across three matches with one win and two draws, on seven points. Only the top four MLS clubs reach the quarter-finals, and LAFC finished fifth.
- How do you go out without losing a game?
- Because the league phase awards fewer points for a shootout win than for a win in regulation. LAFC took no defeats but converted too few matches in normal time, finishing on seven points. The standings were settled the same day when Chicago and Austin both won their third matches — Chicago finished on nine points, with Austin, Columbus and Real Salt Lake on eight and LAFC on seven. Had either Chicago or Austin lost, LAFC would have been inside the top four. Being unbeaten does not, under this format, guarantee anything.
- What did Son do in the match?
- He took LAFC's second penalty in the shootout and scored. He did not score from open play, and finished the three-match league phase without a goal from the run of play. Several outlets highlighted chances LAFC failed to convert. The team, however, went the phase unbeaten and conceded once against Querétaro. Son's MLS regular-season record runs separately from this competition.
Play three matches, lose none, and you usually go through. LAFC did not.
One win, two draws. Seven points. Fifth among MLS clubs. Four places advanced.
1. The match
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | August 13, 2026 (local) |
| Venue | BMO Stadium, Los Angeles |
| Opponent | Querétaro (Liga MX) |
| Regulation | 1-1 |
| Shootout | LAFC 5-3 |
| Son Heung-min | Second penalty taker, scored |
LAFC won. The question is what that win was worth in the table.
2. The table — one other result away
| Pos | Club | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago Fire | 9 |
| 2 | Austin | 8 |
| 3 | Columbus Crew | 8 |
| 4 | Real Salt Lake | 8 |
| 5 | LAFC | 7 |
On the same day Chicago beat Cruz Azul 2-1 and Austin beat Club América on penalties. Either of those going the other way would have put LAFC inside the top four.
That is a function of the format. The Leagues Cup league phase pits MLS clubs against Liga MX clubs, with the top four from each league advancing to the quarter-finals. Because clubs do not play the rivals they are ranked against, you can win your own match and still be moved down by results elsewhere.
One outlet reported LAFC as level on points with Real Salt Lake and eliminated on goal difference; another gave the eight-versus-seven split above. The final table was not checked directly, so both accounts are noted.
3. Why unbeaten produced only seven points
Three matches, one win and two draws, seven points. Under conventional scoring — three for a win, one for a draw — that would be five. Seven comes from awarding points for shootout results, with a shootout win worth less than a win in regulation.
The design intent is to discourage teams from settling for draws. The side effect is that a team that avoids defeat but does not close matches in normal time can stall. LAFC landed precisely there. This article could not confirm the exact allocation against the competition regulations; the explanation above is reasoned back from a seven-point total.
4. Son — he scored the one that counted in the shootout
Son Heung-min took LAFC's second penalty and converted it.
He did not score from open play, and finished the three-match league phase without a goal from the run of play. Several outlets highlighted the chances LAFC left behind.
Set against that: the team went the phase unbeaten and conceded once to Querétaro. Elimination here is not a verdict on the season. The MLS regular season runs separately, and Son's league record continues there.
5. What is still open
The size of the field is unresolved. Sources give either 18 MLS clubs and 18 Liga MX clubs, or 30 and 18. Every source agrees that the top four from each league advance.
The shootout points allocation was not confirmed against the regulations.
LAFC's scorer and the goal's timing against Querétaro were not confirmed.
This page wrote in August about how a competition calendar can shape a result, in "KBO's heat break ends." The shape here is similar — the format, not the performance, decided this. With one qualification: the format was published before the season, and the two matches not won in regulation still stand.
Sources
- Sports Khan — Son Heung-min's LAFC fail to reach the Leagues Cup quarter-finals
- Kukmin Ilbo — Son Heung-min's LAFC miss out on the Leagues Cup quarter-finals
- Etoday — Unbeaten and eliminated: Son Heung-min's LAFC fall short in the Leagues Cup
- Star News — LAFC eliminated early from the Leagues Cup again
- Herald K — Son Heung-min's LAFC miss the quarter-finals, dropping to fifth among MLS clubs
- FourFourTwo Korea — LAFC lose control of their own qualification