LAFC fought to a 2-2 draw on the road with the Chicago Fire at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL on Saturday night. The Black & Gold twice came from behind to secure a point in a match that saw the team’s latest headline signing, South Korean football sensation Son Heung-Min, make an impactful debut for the club.
Carlos Terán got the scoring started for the home side when he headed home an early corner kick in the 11th minute to stake the Fire to a 1-0 lead.
Ryan Hollingshead answered for the Black & Gold with a headed goal of his own from a corner kick in the 19th minute.
The teams battled through half time with the score tied at 1-1 before LAFC brought on Son in the 61st minute to rapturous applause from the 19,000-plus fans in attendance.
Despite LAFC introducing one of the world’s most famous forwards – in addition to bringing on All-Star striker Denis Bouanga at the start of the second half – it was the Fire who took the lead once more.
Jonathan Bamba put Chicago ahead 2-1 in the 70th minute when he smashed a shot into the roof of the net from a sharp angle.
The home side nearly extended its lead six minutes later, but LAFC captain Hugo Lloris made an incredible save to deny a wide-open Fire attacker. The ball fell to Chicago’s Brian Gutiérrez, who cracked a shot off the left post, resulting in the game's final pivotal moment.
From the rebound off the post, LAFC sprang into a counterattack with Nathan Ordaz picking out the run of Son, who was brought down as he carried the ball into Chicago’s penalty area. A VAR check confirmed the penalty, and Bouanga forcefully dispatched the resulting spot kick to tie the match at 2-2 in the 81st minute.
The teams continued to battle but an additional nine minutes of stoppage time did not yield a winner. The Black & Gold now has a 10-6-7 record in the regular season with 37 points and sits in fifth place in the Western Conference.
LAFC continues its three-game road stretch against another Eastern Conference foe next Saturday, Aug. 16 when the Black & Gold travels to Foxborough, Massachusetts to face the New England Revolution. Kickoff from Gillette Stadium is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT, and the match will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV as well as available via radio on 710 AM ESPN LA and 980 AM La Mera Mera.
