LAFC leads Colorado 1-0 at halftime, eyes playoff rise pending San Diego's result

Son Heung-min, 33 years old, Tottenham, scored his 9th goal of the season in the final match of the MLS (U.S. professional soccer) regular season.

Son Heung-min, who returned to the national team A-match and started as a forward, split the net in the 42nd minute of the first half in the MLS match against Colorado Rapids on the 19th (Korean time) at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado, U.S. Though he struggled to create notable chances throughout the first half, he capitalized on an opportunity in the closing minutes of the half.

This goal was another product of the "Heung-bo duo." Receiving a pass from Denis Bouanga, Son Heung-min dribbled past defenders, used a clever footwork maneuver inside the penalty box, and finished with a powerful left-footed shot.

With this goal, Son Heung-min has now recorded 9 goals and 3 assists in 10 games this season. LAFC, which led 1-0 against Colorado in the first half, is currently in 3rd place in the Western Conference and could rise to 2nd depending on San Diego's result.

Lionel Messi of Inter Miami recorded a hat-trick in the Nashville game that day. Messi, who scored his 27th to 29th goals of the season and led his team to a 5-2 victory, is on the verge of becoming the top scorer. Inter Miami advanced to the playoffs in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference.

The top 7 teams from each of the Eastern and Western Conferences in the MLS advance directly to the playoffs. The 8th and 9th place teams compete in a wildcard round to secure the final playoff spot.

In the first round, the conference 1st place team faces the wildcard winner, and the 2nd-7th, 3rd-6th, and 4th-5th place teams compete in a best-of-three series. The conference semifinals, conference finals, and MLS Cup final are all decided by single-match knockouts to determine the champion.

Son Heung-min Scores 9th in MLS Regular Season Finale