Los angeles: With his home debut for Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) spoiled in a loss, Son Heung-min was apologetic both to his supporters and his teammates. Son hit the goal post once and was denied by the opposing goalkeeper a couple of times, as LAFC fell to San Diego FC 2-1 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday (local time).

According to Yonhap News Agency, Son, who joined LAFC in early August, had played three consecutive away matches before finally making his first appearance in LA, where he was greeted by a sellout crowd of about 22,000 - many of them Korean fans waving their national flags. The atmosphere was "amazing," Son remarked, despite being accustomed to playing in front of massive crowds during his decade-long tenure with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

"It felt like they were welcoming me, and I couldn't wait for this night," Son said in his postmatch presser. "I feel like I let the fans down. They deserved more than one goal or zero points. I can't wait to play at home again." Responding to a question in Korean, Son expressed how patriotic he felt seeing his national flags in the stands.

Son admitted disappointment in not capitalizing on his scoring opportunities. "I tried to do the best I can to help my teammates, but I didn't get it done when I had decisive chances," he said. He also expressed pride in his team and described LAFC as "unlucky today" not to secure three points, encouraging his teammates to keep their heads up and move forward.

LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo shared his optimism regarding Son's performance, despite the lack of goals. Cherundolo believes the team is on the right track by creating opportunities for Son in front of the goal and looks forward to future games with him. Son's teammate, Denis Bouanga, noted that playing alongside the South Korean star has provided him with more freedom and space on the field, acknowledging the potential challenges for Son but expressing confidence in his ability to adapt and score many goals in the future.