Son Heung-min Shows Sharp Goal-Scoring Touch... Will He Lead Team to Victory with 2nd MLS Goal?

Son Heung-min [AFP=Yonhap News]

Son Heung-min, who showcased his sharp finishing with goals in two consecutive matches during the September away fixtures in the U.S., returns to his club, Major League Soccer (MLS) team Los Angeles FC (LAFC), to pursue team victories.

Son Heung-min's LAFC will play an MLS regular season away match against the San Jose Earthquakes on the 14th at 9:30 AM (Korean time) at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Son Heung-min, who scored in two consecutive away friendlies in the U.S. in September, is in peak condition.

On the 7th, Son Heung-min scored the decisive opening goal in the 18th minute against the United States, leading the Korean national team, managed by Coach Hong Myung-bo, to victory.

Then, on the 10th, he came on as a substitute at the start of the second half and unleashed a thunderous left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area in the 20th minute of the second half, scoring a precious equalizer when Korea was trailing 0-1.

Playing in his 136th international match, Son Heung-min has tied Cha Bum-kun and current coach Hong Myung-bo for the most appearances by a Korean male player, and with his 53rd international goal, he has moved one step closer to Cha Bum-kun's record of 58 goals in this category.

Son Heung-min is solidifying his status as a living legend of Korean football, acting as a crucial playmaker to break through stagnant offensive play with his "two goals."

Son Heung-min [AFP=Yonhap News]

Having finished the international break on a high note, Son Heung-min aims to boost the morale of his club, LAFC, with his momentum.

LAFC is currently in 5th place in the MLS Western Conference with 41 points.

In the four matches since Son Heung-min joined, the team has only secured one win, and has not won in their last two games.

In his home debut just before the international break, Son Heung-min, despite the fervent support of the fans, couldn't smile brightly as LAFC lost 1-2 to San Diego.

Fans are hoping that Son Heung-min, who has regained his scoring form through the international matches, will score his second MLS goal against San Jose and save the team from a losing streak.

Kim Min-jae [AFP=Yonhap News]

Kim Min-jae's club, German Bundesliga team Bayern Munich, will host Hamburg on the 14th at 1:30 AM, aiming for their third consecutive win to start the season.

Kim Min-jae, who has been relegated from the starting center-back position this season, played 22 minutes in the first-round match against Leipzig and was on the bench for the second-round match against Augsburg.

It is unlikely that Kim Min-jae will immediately return to the starting lineup for the third-round match against Hamburg.

Another key question is whether Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), who suffered a hamstring injury during the friendly match against the United States, will be able to return to league play immediately.

Lee Jae-sung's club, Mainz, will face Leipzig at home on the 13th at 10:30 PM.

Lee Jae-sung is known to have sustained a minor injury that requires about a week of recovery. However, the Mainz coaching staff may decide to give him more rest to protect their key player.

Nevertheless, Mainz has recorded one loss and one draw in their first two league matches, still seeking their first league win of the season.

Lee Jae-sung substituted due to injury (Harrison, New Jersey, USA = Yonhap News) Reporter Yoon Dong-jin = Lee Jae-sung of South Korea sits on the ground after being injured during the friendly match between South Korea and the United States at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, USA on the 6th (local time). 2025.9.7 mon@yna.co.kr

Borussia Mönchengladbach, the club of Jens Stage, who made his debut for the Korean national team during the September international break, will host Werder Bremen at home on the 15th at 1:00 AM.

Stage played 7 minutes in the first-round match against Hamburg and 15 minutes in the second-round match against Stuttgart, gradually getting more playing time.

Union Berlin, Jung Woo-young's club, will play their third-round home match against Hoffenheim on the 13th.

Jung Woo-young has not yet secured a regular starting position, so it remains to be seen how much playing time he will be able to increase.

Lee Kang-in training (Harrison, New Jersey, USA = Yonhap News) Reporter Yoon Dong-jin = Lee Kang-in of the South Korean national football team participates in an official training session at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, USA on the 5th (local time). 2025.9.6 mon@yna.co.kr

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Lee Kang-in's club in French Ligue 1, will aim for their fourth consecutive win to start the season against Lens on the 15th at dawn.

Lee Kang-in, who was substituted in the second half of the friendly match against the United States as Coach Hong Myung-bo tested various players, played 80 minutes against Mexico, orchestrating the attack with sharp passes. However, he also struggled at times as his characteristic delicate dribbling was frequently shut down.

However, an opportunity may arise for Lee Kang-in, who has been facing fierce competition for a starting spot at his club.

Reports indicate that Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué have suffered thigh and calf injuries respectively, making them unavailable for over a month.

Lee Kang-in's immediate challenge is to perfectly fill the void left by these two players and re-establish himself as a starting midfielder for PSG.

In other news, Nantes, where Hong Hyun-seok and Kwon Hyuk-kyu play, will travel to Nice for an away match on the 14th.

Hwang Hee-chan [Reuters=Yonhap News]

In the English Premier League (EPL), a "Korean derby" is anticipated between Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and Park Seung-soo (Newcastle United).

Wolverhampton Wanderers will face Newcastle United in an away match, Round 4 of the EPL, on the 13th.

Hwang Hee-chan will be aiming for his second consecutive goal.

Although his standing within the team had significantly diminished since last season, he signaled a resurgence by scoring his first goal of the season in the match against Everton just before the international break.

Newcastle's Park Seung-soo, despite impressing manager Eddie Howe with his dynamic play during preseason and being included in the squad for the league opener, has yet to make his debut.

Newcastle, who have only managed two draws and one loss so far this season, might consider bringing in Park Seung-soo as a surprise option to turn their fortunes around.