LA Galaxy II (0-2-2, 2 points) return home this week, looking for their first win of the 2018 season. They’ll square off against USL Western Conference rival Phoenix Rising FC (2-1-1, 7 points) at 7:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday, April 11 at the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium.
LA Galaxy II vs. Phoenix Rising FC
Los Dos have struggled to get off the starting block for the 2018 season, pulling two points from their first four contests. The team has conceded three red cards in four matches, playing 35 percent of minutes this season down a man – an important factor that has compounded the team’s offensive struggles.
The team’s best performance of the season came in their last outing at home, a 0-0 draw with San Antonio on March 31. It was Los Dos’ only shutout of the year and their brightest defensive performance of the season, giving the team confidence ahead of a week with plenty of points up for grabs.
READ: LA GALAXY II TO HOST WINE WEDNESDAY AGAINST PHOENIX RISING FC
They’ll welcome a strong Phoenix Rising FC to Los Angeles, a side that handed Los Dos two home losses in 2017. In the last, Didier Drogba rifled a 35-yard free kick pass Clement Diop for the game-winner. Drogba made his first appearance of the season for Phoenix in their most recent match, a 1-0 loss to Real Monarchs SLC at home.
LAST MATCH
Orange County SC 3 | LA Galaxy II 0: A first and second half red card to LA Galaxy II’s Jean Engola and Alex Mendez left GII at odds with a result in Orange County. Eric Lopez made his first start of the season in net for Los Dos, while LA Galaxy Academy players Ulysses Llanez and Mendez made their first starts for the team this season.
Phoenix Rising FC 0 | Real Monarchs SLC 1: Rising FC’s undefeated start to the season came to an end at home with a second-half goal from SLC’s Sebastian Velasquez. Didier Drogba made his first appearance of the season in the match. It was the first time Phoenix have been shutout this season.
2017 RECORD
LA Galaxy II: 8-19-5, 29 points
Phoenix Rising FC: 17-8-7, 58 points
LAST YEAR
Phoenix Rising FC 2, LA Galaxy II 1 | April 22, 2017 at Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex
LA Galaxy II 1, Phoenix Rising FC 2 | May 27, 2017 at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium
LA Galaxy II 0, Phoenix Rising FC 2 | Aug. 2, 2017 at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium
GAME NOTES
- LA Galaxy II have played 35 percent of minutes this season down a man.
- LA Galaxy will be without Jean Engola and Alex Mendez, who were both red-carded in Los Dos’ last match.
- Los Dos signed seven new players this offseason: Geoffrey Acheampong, Nate Shultz, Emmanuel Appiah, John Requejo, Frank Lopez, Wade Hamilton and Julian Büscher.
- Appiah has scored Los Dos’ only goal this season.
- LA Galaxy II finished the 2017 season with a 4-8-4 home record and a 4-11-1 away record.
- Justin Dhillon and Adrian Vera co-led the team in goals in 2017 (6).
- Ethan Zubak led LA Galaxy II in assists in 2017 (3).
- Next, LA Galaxy II travel to take on Saint Louis FC at 5:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 14 at Toyota Stadium in Fenton, Mo. The match will be streamed live on LAGalaxy.com/2.
