CARSON, Calif. (Friday, March 1, 2013) – The LA Galaxy Academy will host Northern California-based soccer clubs De Anza Force and Santa Cruz Breakers on Saturday and Sunday, respectively at The Home Depot Center. Shortly after the completion of Sunday’s games, the 2012 MLS Cup champion Galaxy will kick off their 2013 MLS season.
With 12 games left on the schedule this season, the Galaxy are looking to their recent positive form at home. Following Sunday’s game, LA will play six straight games on the road before returning home for their final four games of the season. The Galaxy Under-18’s are currently third in the Southwest Division, behind Real Salt Lake-Arizona and Real So Cal, while the Under-16 team is seventh in their division after going 2-1-2 in the month of February.
The Galaxy U-18’s come into the weekend on the heels of last week’s 4-0 win over rival Arsenal, a victory that improved their record to 10-3-3 on the season. Justin Dhillon, Raul Mendiola, Drew Murphy and Sebastian Velasquez all found the back of the net for LA while Daniil Slepukhin kept a clean sheet in goal. The U-16’s took a point off Arsenal last weekend, scoring in the 78th minute to claim a 3-3 draw. A Christian Chavez double helped erase a 2-0 deficit for the Galaxy, only for Arsenal to once again pull in front in the 51st minute. They would make that lead standup until late on when Alex Ramos notched his fourth goal of the season to even the score at 3-3 and move his team’s record to 4-6-6 on the season.
LA’s first opponent of the weekend, De Anza Force, come into Saturday’s U-16 game (kickoff at 12:30 on Field #7) with a Northwest Division-best record of 14-2-2 while the U-18’s, who are averaging two goals per game on the season, are 9-7-2 and in fourth place. Saturday’s U-18 game kicks off at 10 a.m.
The Galaxy U-18’s kickoff Sunday’s tripleheader at The Home Depot Center when they host the Santa Cruz at 10 a.m. The Breakers are just 4-9-6 on the season and have just one win in their last five games. That game will be followed at 12:30 p.m. when the U-16’s host the Breakers, who have taken just four points from their five games in 2013. Both of those games will be played on Field #7 and will be followed by the Galaxy’s 2013 regular season opener against the Chicago Fire at The Home Depot Center at 2 p.m.
VILLARREAL HELPS U.S. QUALIFY FOR U-20 WORLD CUP: LA Galaxy Homegrown Product Jose Villarreal helped the United States Under-20 qualify for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup by scoring twice in his team’s 4-2 win over Canada in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. The goals, which came on either side of halftime, allowed the U.S. to advance to Friday’s semifinals, but more importantly book a ticket to Turkey for this summer’s U-20 World Cup. Villarreal, who now has three goals in the tournament, did not play in Friday’s semifinal win over Cuba. The U.S. will now play in the tournament final on Sunday against either El Salvador or Mexico at Estadio Cuauhtemoc in Puebla, Mexico at 4 p.m.
GALAXY ACADEMY TEAM BEATS CLUB TIJUANA ACADEMY: LA Galaxy Academy Under-18 midfielder Paul Arriola’s brace helped the Galaxy erased an early deficit beat Club Tijuana’s Under-18 team 5-2 last week at The Home Depot Center. The international friendly was part of a doubleheader played between the two clubs last week that also included the Galaxy’s 6-2 win over the Xoloitzcuintles in a preseason game.
In the Academy game, after falling behind 10 minutes into the match, Arriola started the Galaxy’s comeback with his first of two first half goals in the 26th minute. Twelve minute later, he gave LA the lead with his second goal of the game. In the second half, Sebastian Velasquez, Martin Arrieta and Lucas Da Silva all scored as the Galaxy cruised to the victory.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Game Date
LA Galaxy U-18’s vs. De Anza Force Saturday, March 2
Game will be played at The Home Depot Center – Field 7 at 10 a.m.
LA Galaxy U-16’s vs. De Anza Force Saturday, March 2
Game will be played at The Home Depot Center – Field 7 at 12:30 p.m.
LA Galaxy U-18’s vs. Santa Cruz Breakers Sunday, March 3
Game will be played at The Home Depot Center – Field 7 at 10 a.m.
LA Galaxy U-16’s vs. Santa Cruz Breakers Sunday, March 3
Game will be played at The Home Depot Center – Field 7 at 12:30 p.m.
Times and locations for all games are correct as of Wednesday, February 28. Click here for a complete schedule of games in the Southern California Development Soccer League and U.S. Soccer Development Academy, which includes the Galaxy Academy’s U-16 and U-18 teams.
