This Saturday evening in Carson, California the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC take on the Los Angeles Galaxy II for the first time in 2017.
With 8 points, the L.A. Galaxy II sit in 14th position in the USL’s Western Conference – just four points ahead of the 15th-placed Portland Timbers 2, who remain at the bottom of the table. At the time of writing the Switchbacks are in 4th place – boosted by three points from their dramatic 1-0 victory over the Oklahoma City Energy FC last Saturday evening at Weidner Field.
Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy occupy 8th place in the MLS Western Conference, and will not return to MLS action until June 17th when the face the Houston Dynamo at the StubHub Center. Orange County SC of the USL will take on the Galaxy in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, June 14th at the StubHub Center Track and Field Stadium. Orange County SC secured their place against the Galaxy by defeating the Los Angeles Wolves FC on the campus of Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California.
Due to the Galaxy’s MLS bye-week layoff, any number of Galaxy players could be included against the Switchbacks on Saturday evening by Los Dos head coach Mike Muñoz at the StubHub Center Track and Field Stadium. “Games against L.A. in the past have always been tough,” said midfielder Davy Armstrong. “We don’t know who L.A. will bring to play so we prepare for everything. They can bring down first team players if they choose and that always makes it difficult.”
“We need to see with the MLS bye-week just who we’ll face,” said Eddy Prugh, who started in the win against the Energy. “We might be looking at a really tough team against us. It’s time to keep the momentum going off Saturday and really have that snowball into our next two road games.”
A vital last-gasp win against rivals Oklahoma City Energy FC set the Switchbacks up perfectly for the trip to Los Angeles. Switchbacks captain Rony Argueta earned himself a place on the USL’s Team of the Week after his 93rd-minute winner saw the Switchbacks leave Weidner Field with all three points. “It feels great,” said Argueta of the award. “It’s good to get recognized personally, but for me, it’s all about the team getting the win. We played well and the team doing well is what matters most. We hope the win [against the OKC Energy] is a turning point. We need to take a lot of confidence off that win and build off it. In L.A. we need to come out with energy as a team – we’ve done good things and put in good work at practice and we will be better in L.A. if we start with that energy early. They like to play with two forwards and go forward off those two so we have to all step up and be aware of what they do best. It’s been really positive after the win and that helps the team.”
“It brings excitement to training and a higher morale and positive energy when we win games like that,” said right back Jordan Burt. “Those games you remember forever. Now we put in a good week of training and make sure we are ready to have a really good performance in L.A.”
After Saturday’s match in California, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs before traveling for a Wednesday evening encounter with the Swope Park Rangers on June 21st at Children’s Mercy Victory Field in Kansas City, Missouri.
“When we’ve had success versus L.A. we’re on the front-foot,” said striker Aaron King. “It’s a beautiful field in L.A. and that helps our game. We’re good on the ball and if we get out early on the front-foot we’ll do well on Saturday. L.A. always have talent so we have to limit their possession.”
Forward Ethan Zubak leads Los Dos in games started and assists and is tied for the team lead in goals scored with Adonis Amaya and Justin Dhillon. Young winger Adrián Vera has stood out in 2017, while Japanese midfielder Ryo Fujii is a key recycler of possession for the Galaxy II.
It’s been goalkeeper-by-committee so far in 2017 for Los Dos, as Clément Diop, Bennett Sneddon, Eric López and Jon Kempin have all seen time in net. Rangy young Cameroonian defender Jean Engola is certainly a player with future MLS potential. Fellow defenders and local Los Angeles-area products Hugo Arellano and Robert Castellanos emphasize the commitment of Los Dos towards homegrown youth. Tyler Tuner saw time in MLS with Orlando City SC before making his way west to join the Galaxy system.
Costa Rican forward Ariel Lassiter scored the Galaxy II’s most recent goal – a 13th-minute strike in a 2-1 loss against Phoenix Rising FC at the StubHub Center Track and Field Stadium on May 27th. Former Cal Poly State University Mustang Justin Dhillon grabbed a 72nd-minute equalizer for Los Dos against Rio Grande Valley FC on May 20th at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.
“I expect them to play hard at home,” said Switchbacks assistant coach Wolde Harris when asked about Los Dos. “We’ve got to be compact and look to get on the front-foot early. L.A. have a lot of talent. The key to the game is staying compact. The win [against OKC] gives us a boost and shows what we’re trying to do. It was a brilliant finish by Rony after a great lay-off and touch by Jack Jones. It also shows our fight and that we work until the end and just how far that takes us. It gives us good confidence ahead of this weekend. Knowing we can go to the final whistle helps us know what we’re capable of – no matter who we face on the road.”
The Switchbacks will host Saturday’s opponent, Los Dos, on Friday, August 18th at Weidner Field on SuperHero Night that includes a post-match fireworks show. Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.
June 24th sees the return of the Switchbacks to Colorado Springs after the upcoming two-match road trip. The Switchbacks will face current USL Western Conference frontrunners San Antonio FC in a contest that will also feature post-match fireworks at Weidner Field. Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.
The Switchbacks held San Antonio FC to a 1-1 draw at Toyota Field in Texas on April 7th. That match was one of just three games in which San Antonio FC have failed to register a victory in 2017.
“We’re treating the trip to L.A. like any other game – we need three points,” said left back Josh Suggs. “The win against OKC was very emotional for us and exactly what we need to spark a turnaround.”
This Saturday evening in Carson, California the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC take on the Los Angeles Galaxy II for the first time in 2017.
With 8 points, the L.A. Galaxy II sit in 14th position in the USL’s Western Conference – just four points ahead of the 15th-placed Portland Timbers 2, who remain at the bottom of the table. At the time of writing the Switchbacks are in 4th place – boosted by three points from their dramatic 1-0 victory over the Oklahoma City Energy FC last Saturday evening at Weidner Field.
Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy occupy 8th place in the MLS Western Conference, and will not return to MLS action until June 17th when the face the Houston Dynamo at the StubHub Center. Orange County SC of the USL will take on the Galaxy in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, June 14th at the StubHub Center Track and Field Stadium. Orange County SC secured their place against the Galaxy by defeating the Los Angeles Wolves FC on the campus of Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California.
Due to the Galaxy’s MLS bye-week layoff, any number of Galaxy players could be included against the Switchbacks on Saturday evening by Los Dos head coach Mike Muñoz at the StubHub Center Track and Field Stadium. “Games against L.A. in the past have always been tough,” said midfielder Davy Armstrong. “We don’t know who L.A. will bring to play so we prepare for everything. They can bring down first team players if they choose and that always makes it difficult.”
“We need to see with the MLS bye-week just who we’ll face,” said Eddy Prugh, who started in the win against the Energy. “We might be looking at a really tough team against us. It’s time to keep the momentum going off Saturday and really have that snowball into our next two road games.”
A vital last-gasp win against rivals Oklahoma City Energy FC set the Switchbacks up perfectly for the trip to Los Angeles. Switchbacks captain Rony Argueta earned himself a place on the USL’s Team of the Week after his 93rd-minute winner saw the Switchbacks leave Weidner Field with all three points. “It feels great,” said Argueta of the award. “It’s good to get recognized personally, but for me, it’s all about the team getting the win. We played well and the team doing well is what matters most. We hope the win [against the OKC Energy] is a turning point. We need to take a lot of confidence off that win and build off it. In L.A. we need to come out with energy as a team – we’ve done good things and put in good work at practice and we will be better in L.A. if we start with that energy early. They like to play with two forwards and go forward off those two so we have to all step up and be aware of what they do best. It’s been really positive after the win and that helps the team.”
“It brings excitement to training and a higher morale and positive energy when we win games like that,” said right back Jordan Burt. “Those games you remember forever. Now we put in a good week of training and make sure we are ready to have a really good performance in L.A.”
After Saturday’s match in California, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs before traveling for a Wednesday evening encounter with the Swope Park Rangers on June 21st at Children’s Mercy Victory Field in Kansas City, Missouri.
“When we’ve had success versus L.A. we’re on the front-foot,” said striker Aaron King. “It’s a beautiful field in L.A. and that helps our game. We’re good on the ball and if we get out early on the front-foot we’ll do well on Saturday. L.A. always have talent so we have to limit their possession.”
Forward Ethan Zubak leads Los Dos in games started and assists and is tied for the team lead in goals scored with Adonis Amaya and Justin Dhillon. Young winger Adrián Vera has stood out in 2017, while Japanese midfielder Ryo Fujii is a key recycler of possession for the Galaxy II.
It’s been goalkeeper-by-committee so far in 2017 for Los Dos, as Clément Diop, Bennett Sneddon, Eric López and Jon Kempin have all seen time in net. Rangy young Cameroonian defender Jean Engola is certainly a player with future MLS potential. Fellow defenders and local Los Angeles-area products Hugo Arellano and Robert Castellanos emphasize the commitment of Los Dos towards homegrown youth. Tyler Tuner saw time in MLS with Orlando City SC before making his way west to join the Galaxy system.
Costa Rican forward Ariel Lassiter scored the Galaxy II’s most recent goal – a 13th-minute strike in a 2-1 loss against Phoenix Rising FC at the StubHub Center Track and Field Stadium on May 27th. Former Cal Poly State University Mustang Justin Dhillon grabbed a 72nd-minute equalizer for Los Dos against Rio Grande Valley FC on May 20th at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.
“I expect them to play hard at home,” said Switchbacks assistant coach Wolde Harris when asked about Los Dos. “We’ve got to be compact and look to get on the front-foot early. L.A. have a lot of talent. The key to the game is staying compact. The win [against OKC] gives us a boost and shows what we’re trying to do. It was a brilliant finish by Rony after a great lay-off and touch by Jack Jones. It also shows our fight and that we work until the end and just how far that takes us. It gives us good confidence ahead of this weekend. Knowing we can go to the final whistle helps us know what we’re capable of – no matter who we face on the road.”
The Switchbacks will host Saturday’s opponent, Los Dos, on Friday, August 18th at Weidner Field on SuperHero Night that includes a post-match fireworks show. Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.
June 24th sees the return of the Switchbacks to Colorado Springs after the upcoming two-match road trip. The Switchbacks will face current USL Western Conference frontrunners San Antonio FC in a contest that will also feature post-match fireworks at Weidner Field. Tickets start at just $12 and are available here.
The Switchbacks held San Antonio FC to a 1-1 draw at Toyota Field in Texas on April 7th. That match was one of just three games in which San Antonio FC have failed to register a victory in 2017.
“We’re treating the trip to L.A. like any other game – we need three points,” said left back Josh Suggs. “The win against OKC was very emotional for us and exactly what we need to spark a turnaround.”
