Son Heung-min says he 'let the fans down' after he fails to score, LAFC loses his hyped home debut

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Son Heung-min was left frustrated and disappointed after his long-awaited home debut for Los Angeles FC ended with a 2-1 loss to San Diego FC on Sunday night.

And while the South Korean superstar's legions of new and longtime fans didn't get to see a goal from their hero or a team victory at BMO Stadium, at least they got a glimpse of the tantalizing potential in Son's new team after it has a bit more time together.

“I couldn’t wait for this night, and then I feel like I let the fans down," Son said after his first defeat in four matches with LAFC. "But we’ve got to (keep) our heads up and accept this result. We move forward and we work hard, and we’ll be back stronger than ever.”

Son finished with two shots on net and several strong attacking moments mostly after halftime during a tense meeting with Western Conference-leading San Diego in front of a raucous sellout crowd eager to welcome Los Angeles' next sporting superstar.

The most agonizing moment was when Son hit the post with a screaming shot in the 78th minute. He also forced goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos to leave his feet make a save late in each half.

But Son couldn't finish his chances, and his team couldn't rally in the second half after San Diego stars Hirving Lozano and Anders Dreyer erased the early lead created by Denis Bouanga's 15th-minute goal for LAFC.

The result left LAFC 15 points behind expansion San Diego in fifth place in the conference standings, even though LAFC has three games in hand.

Son has one goal and one assist in his four MLS matches, scoring on a beautiful free kick last weekend at FC Dallas. LAFC recorded one win and two draws on the road this month, stoking Los Angeles' anticipation of the longtime Tottenham star's debut in his new home nearly four weeks after LAFC announced the landmark signing.

The crowd roared for Son from the moment he stepped on the field for warmups in Los Angeles, which has the world’s largest Korean population outside Korea. With thousands of fans wearing his jerseys for club and country, Son repeatedly waved to those cheering him on, and he exhorted the crowd into a frenzy right before kickoff by pumping his arms.

“I’ve been in amazing stadiums and experienced a lot, but today was very special,” Son said. “I feel like the fans were amazing. That’s why I’m more upset, because they deserved more today than one goal and zero points. They were fantastic. I can’t wait to play at home again. It felt like really, really home, you know? They were welcoming me.”

After a slow first half broken up only by Bouanga’s goal, LAFC finally got rolling. Son and Bouanga were active and dangerous in the second half, but repeatedly failed to cash in their numerous scoring chances.

Son couldn't get a shot on target after a beautiful long pass from former Tottenham teammate Hugo Lloris in the 74th minute, and Bouanga was left in disbelief after he was unable to capitalize while alone against Dos Santos in the 82nd minute.

LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo wasn't discouraged by his star forwards' inability to equalize, and he sees promising signs from their new partnership.

“To be frank, it's been excellent,” Cherundolo said. “We've had three away games and one home game, and we've created a lot of chances. Both of them are creating for each other, helping each other. ... We are definitely creating chances, and Sonny is helping us. We just need to be better at executing. Tonight, if you look at the stats, at (expected goals), the moments we had in front of goal, it's crazy that we walk away with nothing.”

Son jumped straight into LAFC’s lineup after playing a full season for Tottenham, capped by a cathartic Europa League triumph and a summer tour in Asia in which he departed Spurs with an emotional farewell in Seoul.

Son is leaving Los Angeles again for international duty this week, but he'll return with eight matches left in this exhausting year.

“When I come back from the national team, we have probably two very important months, so we've got to push for that,” Son said. “We're still very excited.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-Min (7) argues with a ref during the first half of an MLS soccer match against San Diego FC Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-Min waves to the crowd before an MLS soccer match against San Diego FC, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-Min reacts during the second half of an MLS soccer match against San Diego FC Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-Min reacts during the second half of an MLS soccer match against San Diego FC Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for hours without explanation early Thursday as tensions remained high with the United States over Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.

The closure ran for over four hours, according to pilot guidance issued by Iran, which lies on a key East-West flight route. International carriers diverted north and south around Iran, but after one extension, the closure appeared to have expired and several domestic flights were in the air just after 7 a.m.

Around midday, Iranian state television carried a statement from the country's Civil Aviation Authority saying that the nation's “skies are hosting incoming and outgoing flights, and airports are providing services to passengers.” It did not acknowledge the closure.

Iran previously shut its airspace during the 12-day war against Israel in June and when it exchanged fire with Israel during the Israel-Hamas war. However, there were no signs of current hostilities though the closure immediately rippled through global aviation.

“Several airlines have already reduced or suspended services, and most carriers are avoiding Iranian airspace,” said the website SafeAirspace, which provides information on conflict areas and air travel. “The situation may signal further security or military activity, including the risk of missile launches or heightened air defense, increasing the risk of misidentification of civil traffic.”

Iran in the past has misidentified a commercial aircraft as a hostile target. In 2020, Iranian air defense shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 with two surface-to-air missiles, killing all 176 people on board. Iran for days adamantly dismissed allegations of downing the plane as Western propaganda before finally acknowledging it.

The airspace closure came as some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate. The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait also ordered its personnel to “temporary halt” going to the multiple military bases in the small Gulf Arab country.

The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on Iran at the request of the United States on Thursday afternoon.

U.S. President Donald Trump made a series of vague statements Wednesday that left unclear what American action, if any, would take place against Iran.

In comments to reporters, Trump said he had been told that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, without providing many details. The shift comes a day after Trump told protesters in Iran that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” to respond to the Islamic Republic’s deadly crackdown.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also sought to tone down the rhetoric, urging the U.S. to find a solution through negotiation.

Asked by Fox News what he would say to Trump, Araghchi said: “My message is: Between war and diplomacy, diplomacy is a better way, although we don’t have any positive experience from the United States. But still diplomacy is much better than war.”

The change in tone by the U.S. and Iran came hours after the chief of the Iranian judiciary said the government must act quickly to punish the thousands who have been detained.

Activists warned that hangings of detainees could come soon. The security forces’ crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,615, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported. The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

A man looks at books which are placed for sale on a sidewalk in downtown Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

People walk on a sidewalk in downtown Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

People cross an intersection in downtown Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A man walks on a sidewalk in downtown Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Women cross an intersection in downtown Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Demonstrators burn a poster depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in support of anti-government protests in Iran, in Holon, Israel Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A woman mourns next to the flag-draped coffins of a group of security forces, who were killed during anti-government protests, during their funeral ceremony, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A man hands out posters of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a funeral ceremony for a group of security forces, who were killed during anti-government protests, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

People take part in a rally in support of anti-government protests in Iran, Berlin Germany, Wednesday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Policemen protect the British Embassy during a protest by hardline supporters of the Iranian government, as people ride on their motorbike in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)