LA Galaxy II (0-3-2, 2 points) fell 1-0 to Phoenix Rising FC (2-1-1, 7 points) at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Los Dos put in perhaps their finest 45 minutes of the season in the first half of Wednesday’s match, dominating possession and limiting Phoenix’s chances. The team came closest to earning an advantage in the 6th minute, when João Pedro lobbed a through ball to Frank Lopez. Lopez did well to shield the ball and get a shot off, but his right-footed attempt was just wide of the post.
Galaxy II started the second half with the same intensity, but Phoenix’s Didier Drogba soon turned the tide. Linking up with Gladson Awako in a give-and-go, Drogba laced a curling right-footed shot from the top of the box to put the away side ahead.
LA continued with chances, but were ultimately shutout for the fourth time this season.
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.
Scoring Summary:
PHX – Didier Drogba 64’ (Assisted by Gladson Awako)
Misconduct Summary:
LA – Geoffrey Acheampong 31’ (caution)
PHX – Mike da Fonte 90+2’ (caution)
LA – Julian Büscher 90+4’ (caution)
Lineups:
LA Galaxy II: Justin Vom Steeg, Nate Shultz, Tomas Hilliard-Arce ©, Hugo Arellano, John Requejo; Geoffrey Acheampong (Miguel Aguilar 72’), João Pedro (Emmanuel Appiah 84’), Julian Büscher; Ethan Zubak, Ariel Lassiter (Ulysses Llanez 45’), Frank Lopez
Substitutions not used:Eric Lopez, Andre Zanga, Adrian Vera, Justin Dhillon
TOTAL SHOTS: 12; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 13; OFFSIDE: 1; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 1.
Phoenix Rising FC: Carl Woszcynski; Amadou Dia, Mike da Fonte, Doueugui Mala, Devante Dubose; Kevin Lambert, Collin Fernandez, Gladson Awako (Jason Johnson 83’), Billy Forbes (Alessandro Riggi 83’), Solomon Asante, Didier Drogba ©
Substitutions not used: Zachary Lubin, Christopher Cortez, Kody Wakasa, Luca Ricci, Victor Vasquez
TOTAL SHOTS: 10; SHOTS ON GOAL: 2; FOULS: 14; OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 2.
Referee: Alejandro Mariscal
NOTES:
- LA Galaxy II (0-3-2, 2 points) fell 1-0 to Phoenix Rising FC (3-1-1, 10 points) at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium on Wednesday evening.
- LA Galaxy Academy’s Ulysses Llanez made his third appearance of the season.
- LA Galaxy were 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.
- Emmanuel 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.
