LA Galaxy II opened the 2018 USL Regular Season with a 2-0 loss to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday, March 17 at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Switchbacks FC scored one in each half, shutting out Los Dos along the way in each team’s first 90 of the season.
The Switchbacks took the lead in the 25th minute, when A.J. Ajeakwa curled home a finish from the top-right corner of the penalty area into the top-left corner of the net. The Switchbacks almost doubled their lead six minutes into the second half when Jordan Burt’s looping finish came back off the crossbar.
Burt found the net from the penalty spot in the 55th minute, however, firing into the top-left corner of the net after Los Dos committed a hand ball in their own area.
Six newcomers made their Los Dos debuts in the match: Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Nate Shultz, John Requejo, Emmanuel Appiah, Julian Büscher and Frank Lopez. Additionally, six current and former LA Galaxy Academy members appeared in the match: Hugo Arellano, Adrian Vera, Ethan Zubak, Justin Dhillon, Efrain Alvarez and Ulysses Llanez.
Scoring Summary:
COS – AJ Ajeakwa 25’
COS – Jordan Burt 55’
Misconduct Summary:
COS – Jordan Schweitzer 57’ (caution)
LA – Hugo Arellano 57’ (caution)
LA – Tomas Hilliard-Arce 58’ (caution)
COS – Kim Tae-Seong 75’ (caution)
Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Justin Vom Steeg; Nate Shultz, Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Hugo Arellano, John Requejo; Emmanuel Appiah (Efrain Alvarez 69’), Julian Büscher ©, Miguel Aguilar (Ulysses Llanez 59’), Adrian Vera; Justin Dhillon (Ethan Zubak 69’), Frank Lopez
Substitutions not used:Geoffrey Acheampong, Andre Zanga, Jonathan Hernandez, Wade Hamilton
TOTAL SHOTS: 4; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; FOULS: 15; OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 3.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: Steward Ceus; Josh Suggs ©, Luke Vercolione, Taylor Hunter, Jamal Jack; Jordan Burt, Shane Malcom, Saeed Robinson (Martin Maybin 90’), Kim Tae-Seong; Jordan Schweitzer (Ayukokata Tambe 84’), AJ Ajeakwa (Tobenna Uzo 72’)
Substitutions not used: Vemeri Valimaa, Pascal Eboussi, Uriel Macias, Moise Pouaty
TOTAL SHOTS: 15; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 12; OFFSIDE: 1; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 1.
Referee: Greg Dopka
Attendance: 3,023
NOTES:
- In their first match of the 2018 USL Regular Season, Los Dos fell 2-0 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday, March 17 at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Recording their first career starts for Los Dos were Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Nate Shultz, John Requejo, Emmanuel Appiah, Julian Büscher and Frank Lopez.
- Six current and former LA Galaxy Academy members appeared in the match: Hugo Arellano, Adrian Vera, Ethan Zubak, Justin Dhillon, Efrain Alvarez and Ulysses Llanez.
- LA Galaxy II finished the 2017 USL Regular Season 8-19-5 with 29 points.
- Next, LA Galaxy II travel to take on Fresno FC on Saturday, March 24 at 7 p.m. PT at Chukchnasi Park in Fresno, Calif. (streamed live on LAGalaxy.com/2).
- LA Galaxy II will host their 2018 Home Opener on Saturday, March 31 at StubHub Center against San Antonio FC at 3:30 p.m. PT. Tickets to the match are on sale now, available here.
