LA Galaxy II clinched a second-consecutive trip to the USL Championship Playoffs as Augustine Williams scored twice in a 3-1 victory against Orange County SC on Wednesday night at Dignity Health Sports Park. Williams is now second in the Championship with 12 goals this season.
Looking to jump past Los Dos at the start of the night in Group B, Orange County scored first as Ugo Okoli began and finished a move to put the visitors ahead. Okoli picked possession up in midfield and played an angled pass to the right for Darwin Jones, and then broke forward into the penalty area to arrive on time to finish Jones’ low cross just outside the six-yard area.
LA Galaxy II hit back in similar fashion, however, as Williams sent a through-ball forward from midfield to put Jorge Hernández thought on the right side. Hernández faced up to his defender inside the right edge of the penalty area and then picked out the run of Williams as he broke forward centrally before finishing with the outside of his right boot to the bottom-right corner.
The game reached the halftime break level, but 11 minutes into the second half Orange County threatened again as Aodhan Quinn’s cross from the right picked out a back-post run by Okoli that he sent just wide of the left post. The Galaxy II’s Alejandro Alvarado Jr. then went close as a knock-down of a free kick by Williams set up a shot that got deflected slightly on the way to goal, but was still kept out by OCSC goalkeeper Frederick Due.
Midway through the half, though, Williams drove forward into the left side of the penalty area and was brought down by OCSC’s Kevin Alston, resulting in a penalty kick. Williams stepped up and shot into the right side of the net as Due went the other way to give Los Dos the lead.
Orange County pressured to find an equalizer, and Okoli had a weak effort saved with 19 minutes to go. Los Dos put up a solid defensive effort and were boosted by a crucial save in the final minute as an initial effort from Okoli deflected toward Jones, whose close-range finish deflected off the shoulder of Galaxy II goalkeeper Abraham Romero and behind for a corner.
Two minutes into stoppage time, however, Hernandez wrapped up the victory and the postseason spot for the hosts as he was slipped into the right side of the penalty area by Sebastian Nava and chipped a finish into the far corner of the net past Due to give the Galaxy II all three points on the night.
USLChampionship.com Man of the Match
Augustine Williams, LA Galaxy II – Williams bagged a brace, and was brought down for the penalty kick he converted, while completing 17 of 23 passes overall in another strong display.
Scoring Summary:
OC – Sean Okoli 6’
LA – Augustine Williams (Assisted by Jorge Hernandez) 10’
LA – Augustine Williams (penalty) 68’
LA – Jorge Hernandez (Assisted by Sebastian Nava) 90’+2
Disciplinary Summary:
LA – Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (caution) 54’
LA – Jonathan Perez (caution) 58’
OC – Kevin Alston (caution) 67’
OC – Nathan Smith (caution) 71’
LA – Adam Saldana (caution) 73’
Lineup:
LA Galaxy: Abraham Romero; Mauricio Cuevas, Jesus Vazquez ©, Jalen Neal, Isaac Bawa; Alejandro Alvarado Jr. (Sebastian Nava 79’), Adam Saldana; Jonathan Perez (Adrian Gonzalez 79’), Jorge Hernandez, Adrian Vera (Ivan Gutierrez 85’); Augustine Williams.
Substitutions not used: Anthony Ramos, Markus Ferkranus, Victor Valdez, Carson Klein.
Head Coach: Junior Gonzalez
Referee: Jon Freemon
NOTES:
- LA Galaxy II earned a 3-1 win over Orange County SC Wednesday night at Dignity Health Sports Park.
- With the result, LA Galaxy II secure a second place finish in Group B of the 2020 USL Standings.
- LA Galaxy II have clinched a berth in the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs.
- LA Galaxy II are now 8-5-2 with 26 points during the 2020 season (4-3-1 at home and 4-2-1 on the road).
- LA Galaxy II are 5-2-2 in their previous nine games.
- Head Coach Junior Gonzalez holds a 15-10-6 record throughout his head coaching tenure with LA Galaxy II.
- Gonzalez had led Los Dos to the playoffs for the second-consecutive season.
- Forward Augustine Williams scored his 11th and 12th goals of the USL Championship season.
- Williams’ 11 goals are second most in all of USL Championship.
- In the revised USL 2020 schedule, the league’s clubs will play 263 games over 13 weeks to decide which 16 teams will advance to the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs, which will open in the second weekend of October.
- LA Galaxy II compete in the USL Championship Group B for the revised 2020 campaign alongside the following clubs: San Diego Loyal, Phoenix Rising FC, Las Vegas Lights FC and Orange County SC.
- For more information, visit www.lagalaxy.com/2.
