Galaxy II

Match Preview: LA Galaxy II ready for first meeting of 2018 with Orange County SC

LA Galaxy II (0-1-2, 2 points) are on the road again, but remain in Southern California as they take on Orange County SC (2-1-1, 7 points) at 7 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 7 at Champions Soccer Stadium at Orange County Great Park. The match will be streamed live on LAGalaxy.com/2.


Los Dos are looking for their first win of the season in their trip to Orange County SC, making the trip with a 0-1-1 road record to their name so far this season. Last time away from home, Galaxy II earned a 1-1 draw against Fresno FC while playing with 10 men for 65 minutes. New LA Galaxy midfielder Emmanuel Appiah scored in that match on an assist from Julian Büscher.


The team has additional confidence from a 0-0 draw earned last weekend in their home opener, with Los Dos goalkeeper Wade Hamilton and the LA Galaxy defense earning their first shutout of the season. But they’ll face a very confident Orange County side that’s coming off a five-goal shutout victory in Tulsa over the weekend. With a hat trick from OC forward Thomas Enevoldsen in that fixture, an in-sync Orange County offense is likely to be Los Dos’ biggest test of the season so far.


“Orange County is tough, they are in a pretty good run of form,” said LA Galaxy II Head Coach Mike Muñoz. “Our guys have to be up for it. A couple of adjustments is all we need. I look forward to the game.”


The two sides split points across three competitions last season, going 1-1-1. The Galaxy won in the most recent contest, when Ethan Zubak notched the game-winning assist in a 1-0 victory at StubHub Center on Aug. 2, 2017.


LAST MATCH
LA Galaxy 0 | San Antonio FC 0:Los Dos earned their first clean sheet of the season as they hosted their 2018 Home Opener at StubHub Center. Wade Hamilton’s first half penalty kick save was the highlight in a defensive outing. João Pedro and Jonathan Hernandez made their first starts of the season for LA Galaxy II in the contest.


Tulsa Roughnecks FC 0 | Orange County SC 5: Orange County wrapped up their 2018 Oklahoma tour with a 5-0 thumping of Tulsa, three days after earning a 1-0 win against OKC Energy FC. OCSC forward Thomas Enevoldsen scored a hat trick for Orange County is this match.


2017 RECORD
LA Galaxy II: 8-19-5, 29 points
Orange County SC: 11-11-10, 43 points


LAST YEAR
LA Galaxy 1, Orange County SC 1 | April 22, 2017 at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium
Orange County SC 4, LA Galaxy II 0 | May 6, 2017 at Orange County Great Park
LA Galaxy 1, Orange County SC 0 | Aug. 2, 2017 at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium


GAME NOTES

  • LA Galaxy II are coming off their first shutout of the 2018 season, a 0-0 draw with San Antonio FC on March 31 at StubHub Center.
  • LA Galaxy will be without Hugo Arellano (serving the last of a three-game suspension).
  • Los Dos signed seven new players this offseason: Geoffrey Acheampong, Nate Shultz, Emmanuel Appiah, John Requejo, Frank Lopez, Wade Hamilton and Julian Büscher.
  • LA Galaxy II finished the 2017 season with a 4-8-4 home record and a 4-11-1 away record.
  • Justin Dhillon and Adrian Vera co-led the team in goals in 2017 (6).
  • Ethan Zubak led LA Galaxy II in assists in 2017 (3).
  • Next, LA Galaxy II return home to face Phoenix Rising FC on Wednesday, April 11 at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium. Tickets to that match are available for purchase here.