Top of the USL Championship Western Conference, the 9-2 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC head to SoCal for a Saturday night matchup with the Los Angeles Galaxy II at Dignity Health Sports Park. The match will kick off at 8:30pm MT, with live coverage by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, beginning at 8pm on XTRA Sports1300 AM.
Goals from Elvis Amoh, Michee Ngalina, and Matt Mahoney gave the Switchbacks all three points against the Las Vegas Lights last Friday night at Weidner Field. Ngalina, Mahoney, and Jimmy Ockford were all named to the USL Championship Team of the Week after the win against Las Vegas.
What the Switchbacks Say:
Defender Matt Mahoney: “To get the goal and be on the Team of the Week is great, but the three points were much more important and it gives us some momentum heading into LA this weekend. We know [LA II] are going to be young, but we know they’re good players and very good technically – and they have fast wingers. But if we stick to our intensity and press well like we did against Vegas, then I think we’ll be fine.”
Midfielder Zach Zandi: “It was a great team performance that we put in [against Las Vegas]. A lot of guys played well and it was really nice to get three goals and a clean sheet – and get us on the right foot before this game in LA. LA have pace up top, so that will be something to be cautious of. It’s a beautiful stadium there and a big, open grass field and I think it will play to our advantage to have a lot of transition moments and really be able to get after them in the attack. Honestly this weekend is just about continuing on the same path and focusing on ourselves and executing the game-plan that the coaching staff puts before us. We’ve been pretty good on the road so far this year and we’re looking to continue that momentum going forward in LA.”
Switchbacks Head Coach and General Manager Brendan Burke: “We are pretty deep in the season to have only played five games at home, and that could end up serving us well later in the year. The guys enjoyed [last Saturday vs. Las Vegas] and it’s easier to stay in rhythm when you’re at home. Our schedule gets really crowded over the next month and a half, so we’re going to have to rotate guys and I think you might see a little bit of that going into the LA game just so we can ramp certain players up and have them in a better position to be ready to help us continue to get results. There will be some changes in the LA game. Health-wise we’re at about 60-65% of full strength. You’ll probably see some 15 to 20-minute run-outs [in LA] to get guys ramped up because we’re going to have to be fully fit going into our busy period, or we’re going to be in big trouble.”
Los Angeles Galaxy II Ones to Watch: “[LA II] are a good ball playing team, and it’s their style of play that we are looking to slow down more than individual players,” said Brendan Burke. “[They have] guys like [Cameron] Dunbar and [Michael] Salazar – and they have some good athletes underneath their forwards too. We’re more worried about their overall ability to open you up as a group than we are about individual players.”
Vargish’s View: The Galaxy II are difficult to predict. With a 5-6-3 record on the season, Los Dos have seen goal bursts that led to home wins against perennial powerhouses Phoenix Rising and Louisville City…and they’ve also been hammered on the road by El Paso Locomotive and Memphis 901. LA are very strong playing in Carson, California, but the expansive dimensions of Dignity Health Sports Park also suit the Switchbacks’ style.
Saturday is poised to be a really good game. Los Dos have the ability and quality to cause any team problems – although a lot of what makes LA dangerous revolves around their considerable team speed. The Switchbacks have speed across the pitch, and will be chomping at the bit to showcase their table-topping offense on one of the best natural playing surfaces in North America.
