LAFC Missing Son Heung-Min and Hugo Lloris as Historic Streak Ends

LAFC manager Marc Dos Santos rested his veteran stars for Concacaf Champions Cup play next week.

LAFC could not muster the win without their veteran stars. | Soobum Im–MLS via Getty Images

It was 24 hours of coming back down to earth. Not only did the four astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission to the moon splash down off the coast of California, but LAFC’s dream run to start the 2026 MLS season came to an end. 

Without South Korean superstar Son Heung-min in the lineup, the Black and Gold fell 2–1 on the road against the Portland Timbers, with the home side’s Kevin Kelsy scoring a 96th-minute winner, marking LAFC’s first loss and first two MLS goals allowed this season. 

LAFC manager Marc Dos Santos rotated his team for the match, eyeing a midweek result against Cruz Azul in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal second leg, despite winning the first leg 3–0 at home. As such, Son, World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and several other regulars were left out of the lineup, eventually leading to LAFC’s first result other than a win. 

NO WAYYYYY

KELSY IN THE LAST MINUTE TO WIN IT FOR PORTLAND pic.twitter.com/caWk3kEp0B

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 11, 2026

Canadian backstop Thomas Hasal started the match between the sticks, but left in the 30th minute after colliding with an attacker. LAFC then turned to the team’s third goalkeeping option, Cabral Carter and promptly bid farewell to the perfect defensive record through the first six games of the season. 

Before Portland’s Kristoffer Velde beat Carter, LAFC had extended the clean sheet streak to 572 minutes, surpassing their club record, but standing fourth in all-time clean sheet streaks in MLS history. 

The longest shutout streak in MLS history remains a 2007 run from the Houston Dynamo, which reached 726 minutes, while 2000 Sporting Kansas City and 2022 New York City FC have both surpassed the 600-minute mark to round out the top three. 

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Young Star Shines

Jude Terry (left) linked up with Denis Bouanga (right) for a stunning goal on Saturday. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

With some veteran stars outside the squad, Dos Santos turned to promising young talents like Jude Terry, whose debut performance is sure to inspire pride and hope among supporters and MLS fans alike. 

With his side down a goal, the 17-year-old curled a perfectly placed shot off his right foot from outside the box, beating Portland’s James Pantemis, who stood no chance at making a save. His goal not only showcased his skill but also kept LAFC's hopes alive.

17-YEAR-OLD JUDE TERRY WITH A BANGER FOR @LAFC 💯💯💯 pic.twitter.com/w6Xb2JPLYQ

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 11, 2026

For Terry, it wasn’t just the strike that stood out, but an overall promising performance across the board for the U.S. youth international. In addition to his goal, he completed 58 of 63 passes and had 80 touches, putting on an impressive showing in just his second MLS appearance. 

With the loss and their first goals conceded, the focus for LAFC once again shifts back to continental competition, where they will look to knock out the defending Concacaf Champions Cup champions, Cruz Azul, in Mexico on Tuesday, aiming not to surrender the 3–0 lead from the first leg. 

Following that second leg of the quarterfinals, the Black and Gold return to MLS action on Saturday against the San Jose Earthquakes, aiming to reclaim the top spot in the league while also balancing a potential Champions Cup semifinal. 

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