LA Galaxy II 3, Real Monarchs SLC 1
StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Sept. 24, 2016
2016 USL Regular Season
7:30 p.m. PT
www.lagalaxy.com/2
LA Galaxy II (12-7-11, 47 points) defeated Real Monarchs SLC (10-14-6, 36 points) 3-1 in their regular season home finale behind goals from Ariel Lassiter, Raul Mendiola and Adonis Amaya. The win earns Los Dos the #5 seed in the 2016 USL Playoffs; they will face #4 Swope Park Rangers on Friday, Sept. 30 at Children’s Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo. in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. The match will kick off at 5:30 p.m. PT with the winner of the match advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals.
All-time, Los Dos are 2-0 in first round playoff matchups. Friday’s match will mark the team’s third-consecutive playoff appearance in their three years as a USL club.LA Galaxy II have faced Swope Park Rangers only once this season: a 2-1 loss in Kansas City back on Aug. 27.
As for Saturday night’s match, LA Galaxy II needed a win to claim the #4 seed; a loss or draw would have seen them fall to #6.
After a flurry of first half pressure, Los Dos were first on the board in the 18th minute. Raul Mendiola recovered a loose ball in the box and brought it to the touchline before chipping in a short cross. Adonis Amaya got a head to the ball and flicked on to a wide-open Ariel Lassiter behind him. Lassiter easily finished for his ninth goal of the season.
It wouldn’t take Salt Lake City long to respond, and they did so in the 29th minute after a handful of trips to LA’s final third. They would end up finding an equalizer in one of those trips, and the game was leveled when Ricardo Velazco created room on the left flank and sent in a routine cross that found the head of a leaping Boyd Okwuonu, who sent the shot past Diop for his first goal of the season. The half ended 1-1.
In the second half, LA got the scoring started with a fortunate deflection off a shot from Ariel Lassiter. Lassiter’s effort from outside the box deflected softly and in front of an open and charging Raul Mendiola who was able to easily convert.
LA would put the game away less than five minutes later when an in-swinging free kick just off the touch line from Adonis Amaya bounced its way through leg traffic of Los Dos and Monarchs players and into the back of the net for the game’s final goal.
The win caps LA’s season with a 12-7-11 record and a four-game unbeaten streak heading into the playoffs.
Scoring Summary:
LA – Ariel Lassiter (Assisted by Adonis Amaya, Raul Mendiola) 18’
RM – Ricardo Velazco (Assisted by Boyd Okwuonu) 29’
LA – Raul Mendiola 66’
LA – Adonis Amaya 71’
Lineup:
LA Galaxy II: Clement Diop; Oscar Sorto, Jefrey Payeras, Bradley Diallo, Josh Turnley; Denzel Slager, Alejandro Covarrubias (Adrian Vera 88’), Jaime Villarreal, Raul Mendiola, Ariel Lassiter (Ryo Fujii 90’), Adonis Amaya (Ethan Zubak 78’)
Substitutions not used: Eric Lopez, Hugo Arellano, Lee Nishanian, Kainoa Bailey
Attendance: 1,686
GAME NOTES
- LA Galaxy II (12-7-11, 47 points) defeated Real Monarchs SLC (10-14-6, 36 points) 3-1 in their regular season home finale behind goals from Ariel Lassiter, Raul Mendiola and Adonis Amaya.
- With the win, LA Galaxy II will enter the 2016 USL Playoffs at the #5 seed. They will face the #4 seed, Swope Park Rangers, in the Conference Quarterfinals with SPR holding the home field advantage.
- The winner of Los Dos vs. SPR will advance to the Conference Semifinals.
- LA Galaxy II finish the 2016 season with a 12-7-11 record. They finished 2015 with a 14-11-3 record. They finished 2014 with a 15-7-6 record.
- Los Dos, the 2015 USL Western Conference Champions, have now made it to the postseason in each of their three years as a USL club.
- LA Galaxy II clinched their playoff spot with a 1-0 home win against Rio Grande Valley FC on Sept. 14.
- Ariel Lassiter scored his ninth goal of the season for Los Dos on Saturday night. He’s scored six goals in his last seven appearances for LA Galaxy II.
- Raul Mendiola scored his second goal of the season for Los Dos. It was Mendiola’s 17th appearance for LA Galaxy II this season.
- Adonis Amaya scored his fourth goal of the season for Los Dos. He also assisted on Lassiter’s goal. Amaya has recorded four goals and five assists in 22 appearances on the season.
- LA Galaxy II played in front of 1,686 fans Saturday evening on Fan Appreciation Night. It was the team’s third largest home turnout of the season.
- Los Dos are 8-2-5 at home on the season. Real Monarchs SLC are 6-8-2 on the road.
- Los Dos lead the Western Conference in goals scored (52).
- Jose Villarreal leads the team with five assists on the season.
- 15 players have scored for LA Galaxy II in 2016, tied with Sacramento for most of any Western Conference team.
- Next, LA Galaxy II will face Swope Park Rangers in Kansas City at 5:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Sept. 30 at Children’s Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo in the Conference Quarterfinals of the 2016 USL Playoffs.
