Son & Bouanga: The Deadliest Duo in MLS – LAFC vs Vancouver Preview 2025

For the fourth year running, Los Angeles FC are back in the MLS Western Conference Semifinals – and this time, they’ve got a partnership that feels like it was created in a lab for one purpose: winning trophies. Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga have formed the most feared attacking duo in Major League Soccer, and on Saturday night at a sold-out BC Place, they’ll face a Vancouver Whitecaps side that knows exactly how dangerous they are.

This isn’t just another playoff game. This is a heavyweight clash between two teams built to go all the way – and everyone agrees the story starts and ends with LAFC’s superstar forwards.

The Partnership That Changed Everything

When Son Heung-Min arrived from Tottenham Hotspur in early August 2025, few expected the chemistry to ignite this fast. In just three months, the South Korean legend and Gabonese goal machine Denis Bouanga have combined for an astonishing 23 goals and 8 assists. That’s not normal – even by MLS Supporters’ Shield-winning standards.

Son has been electric: 10 goals, 4 assists, and his first-ever MLS playoff goal and assist in LAFC’s 4-1 demolition of Austin FC. Bouanga? He’s simply rewriting history. The only player in MLS with three straight 20-goal seasons, he’s already the club’s all-time playoff scoring leader with 10 goals in 14 games – including a brace against Vancouver in last year’s playoffs.

But it’s not just the numbers. It’s the understanding. They swap positions fluidly, drag defenders out of position, and find each other with almost telepathic vision. As Maurice Edu put it: “They look for each other constantly. Vancouver’s center backs are good – but they’re not quick enough to live with these two.”

LAFC vs Vancouver: A Classic Playoff Showdown

LAFC enter as the No. 3 seed, riding a wave of momentum after crushing Austin. Vancouver, the No. 2 seed, are enjoying their best season in years – breaking club records and returning to the Conference Semifinals for the first time since 2017.

The Whitecaps boast the second-stingiest defense in MLS, but they’ve already felt Bouanga’s wrath. Last year, he scored twice against them in the playoffs. Now, with Son pulling the strings beside him, Vancouver faces their toughest test yet.

Why This Could Be LAFC’s Year

• ✓ Home-and-away format means LAFC play the second leg at BMO Stadium – where they’re nearly unbeatable in playoffs
• ✓ Son is fresh and loving life in California – no European fatigue, just pure joy and goals
• ✓ Bouanga is playing the best soccer of his career – hungry to finally lift MLS Cup after near-misses
• ✓ The supporting cast (Mateusz Bogusz, Ilie Sánchez, Hugo Lloris) is world-class

Former US international Dax McCarty summed it up perfectly: “If LAFC win the Cup this year, we’ll look back at the Son-Bouanga link-up as the reason. It’s that good.”

What Vancouver Must Do to Stop the Unstoppable

Ryan Gauld and Brian White have been brilliant all season, but stopping LAFC’s attack is a different challenge. Vancouver will likely sit deep, frustrate, and hit on the counter – but can their backline handle the pace and movement of Son and Bouanga for 180 minutes?

History says no. LAFC eliminated Vancouver in last year’s playoffs, and with Son now in the mix, the gap feels even wider.

Match Details: When & Where to Watch

Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
Venue: BC Place, Vancouver (Leg 1)
Kick-off: 7:30 PM PT / 10:30 PM ET
TV/Streaming: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass (free match for all viewers)

Leg 2 will be played the following weekend in Los Angeles.

Final Verdict: This Duo Was Built for Trophies

Forget “if” LAFC makes a deep run. The question now is: who can stop them?

Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga aren’t just two great players sharing a field. They’re a partnership that feels destined to deliver silverware. Vancouver has the organization and heart to make it difficult, but when these two are clicking like this, they look unbeatable.

Get ready, MLS fans. We might be watching the birth of a championship team – and it’s being led by one of the most exciting attacking duos the league has ever seen.

Who wins the series? Drop your prediction below – but one thing’s for sure: Son and Bouanga are coming for that trophy.

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