The USL Championship Playoff race is heating up, and a match with big implications on that race is taking place at Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium. LA Galaxy II (9-8-9, 33 points) is set to face Real Monarchs SLC (10-8-7, 37 points) at 7 p.m. PT on Saturday, Sept. 7 as Los Dos look to secure three more points in consecutive weekends at home.
Headed into the weekend, Los Dos sit in 8th while Real Monarchs SLC are in 5th. In a tight USL Championship Western Conference table, eight teams sitting in 5th – 12th place are separated by just three points, with the top 10 teams making the playoffs.
LA Galaxy II jumped back into playoff position after a shutout win last weekend, when they defeated California rival Sacramento Republic FC 1-0 at home. Kai Koreniuk scored the game’s winning goal, as Los Dos earned their first shutout since June 1 and first shutout win since May.
“We’re starting to see a team that is gaining confidence,” said Interim LA Galaxy II Manager Junior Gonzalez. “They believe in each other. They believe in the system. And when you grind out results like this, the confidence just builds and builds.”
Coming into this weekend’s contest, Real Monarchs SLC is winless in their last four games and winless in their last four away games. One of the highest scoring teams in the Western Conference, they haven’t been shutout in their last seven matches. They are led in goalscoring by Douglas Martinez (11).
GAME NOTES
- LA Galaxy II are 4-4-5 at home in 2019.
- Kai Koreniuk leads LA Galaxy II with seven goals this season.
- Last weekend, Eric Lopez and LA Galaxy II earned their first shutout since June 1.
- Last weekend was Los Dos’ first shutout win since May 4.
- Jose Hernandez leads the team in assists (5).
- LA Galaxy II finished the 2018 USL season with a 7-6-4 home record and a 3-11-3 away record.
- Next up, LA Galaxy II travel to face Phoenix Rising FC at 7:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Phoenix Rising FC Soccer Complex.
- For more information, visit www.lagalaxy.com/2.
