After a bye week, LA Galaxy II return to the soccer field in Southern California, this time to take on Orange County SC in a consecutive match at their new stadium at Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif. The Western Conference rivals will kick off at 5:00 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 6 and will be streamed live on LAGalaxy.com/2.
Both sides had a week off after they played to a 1-1 draw on April 22 at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium in front of a record crowd of 2,225. That night, Los Dos trotted out its youngest lineup in club history while including the starts of four Galaxy Academy players. After an own goal had Los Dos down early in the second half, midfielder Adrian Vera equalized on a rebound in the 66th minute for his first professional goal.
Los Dos squared off against former LA Galaxy and LA Galaxy II defenders Joe Franco and Oscar Sorto after both signed with Orange County in the offseason. LA will get a second run at their old teammates on Saturday, where Ethan Zubak, the only Los Dos player to have started each game this season, will lead the charge against them.
The Galaxy have yet to earn points from their away contests in the early onsets of the new season, being outscored by a combined total of 5-1 in losses to San Antonio FC and Phoenix Rising FC in April. But with the team’s younger players getting more and more experience, the team’s comfort playing in away environments is expected to rise.
NOTES
· LA Galaxy II (1-3-1, 4 points) take on Orange County SC (2-1-2, 7 points) at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 at Orange County Great Park.
· Los Dos currently sit 12th in the Western Conference standings, while Orange County SC is in 9th.
· LA Galaxy II earned a 1-1 draw at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium in front of 2,225 fans, the largest-ever crowd at Track and Field Stadium.
· Midfielder Adrian Vera scored his first goal of the season in the Galaxy’s last game vs. Orange County SC.
· Last time out, Head Coach Mike Muñoz fielded a Starting XI that included seven teenagers and three players at 20-years of age for their game with Orange County.
· Including LA Galaxy first team defender Bradley Diallo, the only player over 20 years of age, the average age of the starting XI was 19 years old.
· Four Galaxy Academy players started for Los Dos on April 22: Ian Lonergan, Alex Juarez, Jorge Hernandez, and Jonathan Estrada.
· LA Galaxy Academy’s Alex Juarez made his third-straight appearance for LA Galaxy II on April 22, earning his second career start with Los Dos.
· LA Galaxy Academy graduate Bennett Sneddon made his second-straight start of the season for Los Dos on April 22. Sneddon held a 2.13 GAA across five games for LA in 2016.
· LA Galaxy II are 0-2-0 on the road in 2017.
· This week, LA Galaxy Defender Hugo Arellano was named to MLSsoccer.com’s Top 10 Under-20 defenders in MLS.
· Former LA Galaxy II Head Coach Curt Onalfo was named LA Galaxy Head Coach on Dec. 13, 2016. Mike Muñoz was named LA Galaxy II Head Coach on Jan. 12, 2017.
· LA Galaxy II finished the 2016 USL Regular Season 12-7-11 (47 points).
· LA Galaxy II led the Western Conference in goals in 2016 (52).
· Next, the LA Galaxy II schedule ramps up when they host Real Monarchs SLC at 7:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday, May 10.
