LA Galaxy II (8-18-5, 29 points) earned three points in a wild evening at StubHub Center on Saturday night, topping Portland Timbers 2 (3-21-6, 15 points) 3-2 after an extra-time game winner from captain defender Jefrey Payeras. The team played in front of the largest crowd in LA Galaxy II history, with a sellout attendance of 3,000. 15-year-old forward Efrain Alvarez made his professional debut subbing on in the second half of the match to become the youngest player to ever play in a USL match at the age of 15 years and three months. The win marked the 50thvictory in LA Galaxy II club history.
Los Dos didn’t start the match well, and fell behind early when sloppy efforts at a clearance in the box turned into an easy opportunity for Portland Timbers 2 forward Gio Calixtro to get the game’s first goal. Without many chances to answer, Los Dos went into the break down 1-0.
But at the start of the second half, Los Dos found new life. In the 52nd minute, Lassiter beat his defender on the left side of the penalty box, rushing in and scoring with help from a Portland defender’s deflection. The Galaxy’s attack continued with the help of a red card to T2’s Lamar Batista in the 58th minute.
In the 73rd’, debutant Efrain Alvarez dropped a free kick onto the tip of a stretched Jack McBean boot, sending the ball just over the goal line for the score while forcing a tough decision from the head referee. Portland soon answered, seeming to suck the life out of the sellout stadium when midfielder sub Max Ornstil found the back of the net in the 88th.
But Los Dos fought on, and in the last minute of extra-time, they found their reward. After a quickly taken corner, Raul Mendiola sent in a cross that deflected off the head of a Portland defender, towards the opposite side of the penalty box, but to the feet of Payeras. Bringing the ball down to his left foot, Payeras snuck a shot through that found the back of the net and sent the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium into a frenzy as LA Galaxy II capped their 2017 home finale with one of the wild finishes to a game in the club’s short history.
Next, Los Dos travel to Salt Lake City, facing USL Supporters’ Shield Champions Real Monarchs SLC at 6 p.m. PT on Saturday, Oct. 14 at Rio Tinto Stadium to finish their 2017 USL Regular Season. The match will be streamed live and for free on LAGalaxy.com/2.
Scoring Summary:
POR – Gio Calixtro 14’
LA – Ariel Lassiter 52’ (Assisted by Jaime Villareal)LA – Jack McBean 73’ (Assisted by Efrain Alvarez)
POR – Max Ornstil
LA – Jefrey Payeras 90’+4’
Misconduct Summary:
POR – Gio Calixtro 5’ (caution)
LA – Jean Engola 29’ (caution)
POR – Lamar Batista 58’ (ejection)
LA – Efrain Alvarez 63’ (caution)
POR – Renzo Zambrano 80’ (caution)
LA – Nathan Smith 86’ (caution)
LA – Jefrey Payeras 90’+3’ (caution)
Lineup: Justin Vom Steeg; Tyler Turner, Jean Engola (Ethan Zubak 90’+3’), Jefrey Payeras (c), Nathan Smith; Adrian Vera (Efrain Alvarez 45’), Jaime Villarreal, Andre Zanga (Alejandro Covarrubias 11’), Raul Mendiola; Ariel Lassiter, Jack McBean
Substitutions not used: Bennett Sneddon, Miguel Aguilar, Ryo Fujii, Justin Dhillon
Stats:
LA: SHOTS: 14 | SHOTS ON TARGET: 5 | FOULS: 20 | OFFSIDES: 0 | CORNERS: 7 | SAVES: 1
POR: SHOTS: 8 | SHOTS ON TARGET: 4 | FOULS: 16 | OFFSIDES: 2 | CORNERS: 3 | SAVES: 3
NOTES
- LA Galaxy II (8-18-5, 29 points) earned three points in a wild evening at StubHub Center on Saturday night, topping Portland Timbers (3-21-6, 15 points) 3-2 in their 2017 home finale.
- With the win, LA Galaxy II earned their 50th in club history.
- Ariel Lassiter opened the scoring in the match, securing his fifth goal on the season
- Jack McBean scored his first goal of the season for Los Dos. He made his eighth appearance tonight.
- Jefrey Payeras recorded his first goal of the season, notching the team’s game-winner in the 93rd minute of the match.
- Recent LA Galaxy II signee Efrain Alvarez made his professional debut at the age of 15 years and 3 months.
- Subbing into the match at halftime, he became the youngest player to ever play in a USL match.
- This season, LA Galaxy II went 4-8-4 at StubHub Center.
- Los Dos have recorded a 1.14 GAA in their last seven home games.
- Justin Dhillon (6), Adrian Vera (5) and Ariel Lassiter (5) lead the team in goals this season.
- Ethan Zubak leads the team with 3 assists.
- Next, Los Dos travel to Salt Lake City, facing USL Supporters’ Shield Champions Real Monarchs SLC at 6 p.m. PT on Saturday, Oct. 14 at Rio Tinto Stadium to finish their 2017 USL Regular Season.
