Son Heung-min Ignites LAFC Comeback in 2-2 Draw vs. Chicago Fire on MLS Debut

South Korean superstar Son Heung-min made an electric debut for Los Angeles FC on Saturday, sparking a second-half comeback in a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.

The former Tottenham Hotspur captain entered as a second-half substitute and quickly made his presence felt. In the 77th minute, Son was brought down in the box by Carlos Teran after racing onto a through ball, winning a penalty that was confirmed by VAR after initial play was allowed to continue.

“It was a great pass. Obviously it was definitely contact and it was definitely a penalty, I have no doubt about it,” said Son. Denis Bouanga converted the spot-kick in the 81st minute to level the match.

Son, who signed with LAFC on Wednesday for a reported MLS record $26 million, nearly found a debut goal of his own. He registered multiple attempts, including a shot in stoppage time that was blocked.

“A bit disappointed not getting three points, but I think everybody put in a lot of effort,” Son added. “(I’m) happy I made my debut and I hope the goals come soon.”

The 32-year-old joins LAFC after a decade with Spurs, where he became the club’s fifth-highest all-time scorer with 173 goals in 454 appearances. He announced his departure from the Premier League side the previous weekend in South Korea, drawing a wave of support from fans and media alike.

Saturday’s match saw Chicago open the scoring early, with Carlos Teran heading in from a corner in the 11th minute. LAFC responded quickly, as Ryan Hollingshead equalized with a header of his own just eight minutes later.

Chicago regained the lead in the 70th minute through Jonathan Bamba. Moments later, Brian Gutierrez nearly made it 3-1, but his shot struck the post, allowing LAFC to counter. Nathan Ordaz fed Son on the break, setting up the decisive moment that led to the equalizer.

Son had declared during his introductory press conference — attended by Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass — that he was “fighting fit” and eager to play “as soon as possible.”

Reflecting on his debut, Son said: “It was a decent 30 minutes in my legs, so, yeah, getting ready for next week. We’ll see how I progress with the training sessions and with the players and we’ll see (if) next week I can start the game and make a big impact.”

LAFC now sit fifth in the Western Conference and will travel to face the New England Revolution next Saturday.