Match Preview

It’s a Saint Paddy’s Day celebration this Saturday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC open their home 2019 USL Championship campaign at Weidner Field.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive part one of the 2019 Poster Giveaway series, while a fireworks display will follow the final whistle.

The Switchbacks stormed to a 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Galaxy II last Saturday in Carson, California behind a Shane Malcolm hat-trick.  Malcolm’s thunderous three-goal outburst was the first hat-trick in Switchbacks history, and earned the Guam international the USL Championship Player of the Week award.  

“Player of the Week for week one is an honor,” said Malcolm on Tuesday afternoon.  “But I want to share it with Mike Seth and the rest of the squad. Mike was great in LA and he deserved it.  It’s one of the highest honors you can get in this league and for me to get it in week one gives me a lot of confidence and a desire to keep it going and help the team.”

Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt was also named to the USL Championship Team of the Week, although the talk at Switchbacks practice was the Team of the Week omission of Mike Seth after his two-assist performance against the Galaxy II. 

“Honestly, Shane got Player of the Week, and Mike had a couple assists – and Mike deserved to be on the Team of the Week more than I did,” said Burt.  “I just want to win games; the personal Team of the Week things are great, but I want the team to win and that’s where my focus is.”

“I’ve always told our guys that if we win and play well, the players will stand out,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Mike Seth should be on there – he played really well in LA. We had good preparation before LA and we did well in a lot of areas in that game.  Wins always help, but the big thing for us now are these next two games at home. These are very important to us. We’ve got to be focused on our game and just go out there and play together and play our game like we did in LA.”

Sacramento Republic’s Bulgarian striker Villyan Bijev twice scored the winning goal against the Switchbacks last season, with the team from California’s capitol city earning a 1-0 result at Weidner Field on July 14th.  Mid-April saw Head Coach Simon Elliott’s team defeat the Switchbacks 2-1 just north of the American River at Papa Murphy’s Park, with former University of California Irvine star Cameron Iwasa opening the scoring for the Republic FC before Bijev’s winner.

“All four of Sacramento’s guys up-top can hurt us this season,” said Trittschuh.  “[Stefano] Bonomo, [Cameron] Iwasa, [Tyler] Blackwood, and [Villyan Bijev] are all very good and can score goals.  We have to be aware of where they are at all times and can’t give them a lot of chances, because they’ll take them.”

“Sacramento will come here to win – they’re a top team,” said Malcolm, who scored against Sacramento last season in the aforementioned 2-1 loss on April 18th.  “Bringing back Blackwood was big for them. If we can slow him down and the rest of the guys they have up top, then we’ll have a good shot to beat them here at home.”

Sacramento’s starting goalkeeper Josh Cohen was unlucky not to save a Jack Blake penalty-kick in the Republic’s opening game of the season on Saturday night as Cohen’s team fought back to tie the Real Monarchs SLC 1-1 at Papa Murphy’s Park after an 81st minute equalizer from defender Charalampos Chantzopoulos.

“Sacramento are a good team,” said Burt.  “They have a lot of attacking players who can hurt us.  It’s going to be a much different game than last weekend, and we’ve got confidence and will try to build on the win in LA.”

Burt scored the Switchbacks’ third goal against the Galaxy II in a game that saw Steve Trittschuh’s team hand out regular-season club debuts to eight players, including midfielder Alex Molano.  “The win in LA gives us a lot of confidence,” said Molano. “Scoring four goals is big for the team. I think Sacramento will be a tougher game. They’re experienced, so we know it will be a hard game but we’ll go in with confidence after last weekend.”

“I’m looking forward to being at home and I hope we get a win in front of our fans,” said Saeed Robinson, before being asked about how his team will focus this week on slowing down Sacramento’s attack.  “I can’t tell you that because we are working on different things…but we’ll have a plan just like we did for LA. Sacramento will come here to play well and get a win, we all know that. If we take our chances when we get them, we’ll be alright.  The weather and altitude and our crowd will help us.”

The Switchbacks will remain in Colorado Springs after Saturday’s match before hosting San Antonio FC on March 23rd, where the first 500 fans in attendance will receive a Switchbacks beanie, courtesy of Waste Connections.  

It’s a Saint Paddy’s Day celebration this Saturday evening as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC open their home 2019 USL Championship campaign at Weidner Field.  The first 500 fans in attendance will receive part one of the 2019 Poster Giveaway series, while a fireworks display will follow the final whistle.

The Switchbacks stormed to a 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Galaxy II last Saturday in Carson, California behind a Shane Malcolm hat-trick.  Malcolm’s thunderous three-goal outburst was the first hat-trick in Switchbacks history, and earned the Guam international the USL Championship Player of the Week award.  

“Player of the Week for week one is an honor,” said Malcolm on Tuesday afternoon.  “But I want to share it with Mike Seth and the rest of the squad. Mike was great in LA and he deserved it.  It’s one of the highest honors you can get in this league and for me to get it in week one gives me a lot of confidence and a desire to keep it going and help the team.”

Switchbacks captain Jordan Burt was also named to the USL Championship Team of the Week, although the talk at Switchbacks practice was the Team of the Week omission of Mike Seth after his two-assist performance against the Galaxy II. 

“Honestly, Shane got Player of the Week, and Mike had a couple assists – and Mike deserved to be on the Team of the Week more than I did,” said Burt.  “I just want to win games; the personal Team of the Week things are great, but I want the team to win and that’s where my focus is.”

“I’ve always told our guys that if we win and play well, the players will stand out,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “Mike Seth should be on there – he played really well in LA. We had good preparation before LA and we did well in a lot of areas in that game.  Wins always help, but the big thing for us now are these next two games at home. These are very important to us. We’ve got to be focused on our game and just go out there and play together and play our game like we did in LA.”

Sacramento Republic’s Bulgarian striker Villyan Bijev twice scored the winning goal against the Switchbacks last season, with the team from California’s capitol city earning a 1-0 result at Weidner Field on July 14th.  Mid-April saw Head Coach Simon Elliott’s team defeat the Switchbacks 2-1 just north of the American River at Papa Murphy’s Park, with former University of California Irvine star Cameron Iwasa opening the scoring for the Republic FC before Bijev’s winner.

“All four of Sacramento’s guys up-top can hurt us this season,” said Trittschuh.  “[Stefano] Bonomo, [Cameron] Iwasa, [Tyler] Blackwood, and [Villyan Bijev] are all very good and can score goals.  We have to be aware of where they are at all times and can’t give them a lot of chances, because they’ll take them.”

“Sacramento will come here to win – they’re a top team,” said Malcolm, who scored against Sacramento last season in the aforementioned 2-1 loss on April 18th.  “Bringing back Blackwood was big for them. If we can slow him down and the rest of the guys they have up top, then we’ll have a good shot to beat them here at home.”

Sacramento’s starting goalkeeper Josh Cohen was unlucky not to save a Jack Blake penalty-kick in the Republic’s opening game of the season on Saturday night as Cohen’s team fought back to tie the Real Monarchs SLC 1-1 at Papa Murphy’s Park after an 81st minute equalizer from defender Charalampos Chantzopoulos.

“Sacramento are a good team,” said Burt.  “They have a lot of attacking players who can hurt us.  It’s going to be a much different game than last weekend, and we’ve got confidence and will try to build on the win in LA.”

Burt scored the Switchbacks’ third goal against the Galaxy II in a game that saw Steve Trittschuh’s team hand out regular-season club debuts to eight players, including midfielder Alex Molano.  “The win in LA gives us a lot of confidence,” said Molano. “Scoring four goals is big for the team. I think Sacramento will be a tougher game. They’re experienced, so we know it will be a hard game but we’ll go in with confidence after last weekend.”

“I’m looking forward to being at home and I hope we get a win in front of our fans,” said Saeed Robinson, before being asked about how his team will focus this week on slowing down Sacramento’s attack.  “I can’t tell you that because we are working on different things…but we’ll have a plan just like we did for LA. Sacramento will come here to play well and get a win, we all know that. If we take our chances when we get them, we’ll be alright.  The weather and altitude and our crowd will help us.”

The Switchbacks will remain in Colorado Springs after Saturday’s match before hosting San Antonio FC on March 23rd, where the first 500 fans in attendance will receive a Switchbacks beanie, courtesy of Waste Connections.  

The 2019 USL Championship season is finally here, with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC opening their campaign this Saturday against the Los Angeles Galaxy II in Carson, California at Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium.  

Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub and Restaurant, along with the Trailheads Supporters Group, will be hosting a viewing party for Saturday evening’s season opener in downtown Colorado Springs.  The match will be streamed live upstairs at Jack Quinn’s, with various prizes on hand for those in attendance. Four tickets to Base Camp at Weidner Field will be given away for the Switchbacks’ home opener on March 16th, along with two Family 4-Packs and one Couples 2-Pack of VIP tickets for the Colorado Inferno FC match on Sunday, March 10th at SoccerHaus in Colorado Springs.  In addition, Jack Quinn’s will be giving away a $25 gift card for the prize drawings, with the Trailheads also providing memorabilia from previous Switchbacks seasons, including a Ziggy mascot doll as part of the giveaway.  A $10 beer and burger special will be on hand at Jack Quinn’s for the watch party, with kickoff for the Switchbacks match in California at 8pm MT.

Tricky 16-year-old midfielder Efrain Alvarez was brought off the bench by the Galaxy in their opening day MLS victory against the Chicago Fire last Saturday.  Alvarez, who starred for Los Dos last season in the USL, assisted Daniel Steres’ 68th minute goal as the Galaxy went on to defeat the Fire 2-1 behind a late Zlatan Ibrahimovic winner that came after a delightful touch from Alvarez in the buildup.  

Despite Los Dos’ loss of Alvarez to Los Angeles’ first team, the Galaxy II maintain a roster stacked with talent.  Sierra Leonean forward Augustine Williams and fellow striker Ethan Zubak form a deadly forward duo when paired together up top for Los Dos.  On September 1st of 2018, the Galaxy II defeated the Switchbacks 3-1 in Carson, California behind a brace from Costa Rican striker Ariel Lassiter.  Following the season, Lassiter left Los Angeles and returned to his homeland with Liga FPD powerhouse and 29-time league champions Alajuelense.   

The Switchbacks hosted Los Dos in the opening USL match of the 2018 season at Weidner Field, with the home team winning by a comfortable 2-0 margin that was sealed through a second half Jordan Burt penalty kick.  “I’m really excited for Saturday,” said the now magnificently mustachioed Burt. “The first game of the regular season is always more exciting and we have a lot of eagerness to get started. We have a great group here, and road games are always a test and this one will be a grind.”

Freshly signed Panamanian Ernesto Walker could feature against the Switchbacks, along with fellow newcomer and former University of Washington standout Michael Gallagher, although details about Los Dos’ lineup remain unclear given that their preseason match last weekend was played behind closed doors and away from prying eyes.  Don Tchilao, who excelled with the Oregon State Beavers, scored the only goal of the match against the Real Monarchs SLC as Los Dos won 1-0.

“Right now, there’s just no way to know who they’ll play,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “There just isn’t the game-film on them yet but we know some of the guys who will be there and they have quality.  We’re trying to find information on them; it’s just hard to get the game film. I’ve been talking to the people I know who’ve seen LA in the preseason to see what they’re about this year.  But we’ve got to go in and worry about our game. We’ve been there before and been through a good preseason and we need to start the season off well.”

“I’m really excited to go – LA have a good squad,” said Switchbacks newcomer Ismaila Jome.  “They’ll be good and I think it will be a quality match. I know some guys on their team and am just excited to get out there for a good game and to start the season.”

“They’re going to possess the ball well – they’re a high-energy team,” said Switchbacks midfielder Rony Argueta when asked about Saturday’s opponent.  “This trip will be especially important for the new guys coming into this league or into a new conference with us out west. We are confident, we’ve had a strong preseason: I think we’ll be alright and we’ll make the adjustments we need.  Hopefully we get some warm and dry weather out there – I hear it’s been raining – but we’ll do whatever is needed to play our game.”

A weekend storm in Colorado Springs forced the Switchbacks indoors to begin the week leading into the journey to the southern reaches of the Golden State.  “It’s not been the best for us,” said Trittschuh. “We need to find a plowed field where we can use the space. It’s not been the best preparation but it’s more of a mental thing on how we get past it.  The guys will be itching to play their first game of the season and we’re already starting to feel that.”

Following Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs to begin preparations for the home opener at Weidner Field against Sacramento Republic FC.  The first part of the 2019 Poster Giveaway Series will greet the first 500 fans in attendance, with a fireworks display to follow the final whistle as part of a St. Paddy’s Day celebration.

The 2019 USL Championship season is finally here, with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC opening their campaign this Saturday against the Los Angeles Galaxy II in Carson, California at Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium.  

Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub and Restaurant, along with the Trailheads Supporters Group, will be hosting a viewing party for Saturday evening’s season opener in downtown Colorado Springs.  The match will be streamed live upstairs at Jack Quinn’s, with various prizes on hand for those in attendance. Four tickets to Base Camp at Weidner Field will be given away for the Switchbacks’ home opener on March 16th, along with two Family 4-Packs and one Couples 2-Pack of VIP tickets for the Colorado Inferno FC match on Sunday, March 10th at SoccerHaus in Colorado Springs.  In addition, Jack Quinn’s will be giving away a $25 gift card for the prize drawings, with the Trailheads also providing memorabilia from previous Switchbacks seasons, including a Ziggy mascot doll as part of the giveaway.  A $10 beer and burger special will be on hand at Jack Quinn’s for the watch party, with kickoff for the Switchbacks match in California at 8pm MT.

Tricky 16-year-old midfielder Efrain Alvarez was brought off the bench by the Galaxy in their opening day MLS victory against the Chicago Fire last Saturday.  Alvarez, who starred for Los Dos last season in the USL, assisted Daniel Steres’ 68th minute goal as the Galaxy went on to defeat the Fire 2-1 behind a late Zlatan Ibrahimovic winner that came after a delightful touch from Alvarez in the buildup.  

Despite Los Dos’ loss of Alvarez to Los Angeles’ first team, the Galaxy II maintain a roster stacked with talent.  Sierra Leonean forward Augustine Williams and fellow striker Ethan Zubak form a deadly forward duo when paired together up top for Los Dos.  On September 1st of 2018, the Galaxy II defeated the Switchbacks 3-1 in Carson, California behind a brace from Costa Rican striker Ariel Lassiter.  Following the season, Lassiter left Los Angeles and returned to his homeland with Liga FPD powerhouse and 29-time league champions Alajuelense.   

The Switchbacks hosted Los Dos in the opening USL match of the 2018 season at Weidner Field, with the home team winning by a comfortable 2-0 margin that was sealed through a second half Jordan Burt penalty kick.  “I’m really excited for Saturday,” said the now magnificently mustachioed Burt. “The first game of the regular season is always more exciting and we have a lot of eagerness to get started. We have a great group here, and road games are always a test and this one will be a grind.”

Freshly signed Panamanian Ernesto Walker could feature against the Switchbacks, along with fellow newcomer and former University of Washington standout Michael Gallagher, although details about Los Dos’ lineup remain unclear given that their preseason match last weekend was played behind closed doors and away from prying eyes.  Don Tchilao, who excelled with the Oregon State Beavers, scored the only goal of the match against the Real Monarchs SLC as Los Dos won 1-0.

“Right now, there’s just no way to know who they’ll play,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh.  “There just isn’t the game-film on them yet but we know some of the guys who will be there and they have quality.  We’re trying to find information on them; it’s just hard to get the game film. I’ve been talking to the people I know who’ve seen LA in the preseason to see what they’re about this year.  But we’ve got to go in and worry about our game. We’ve been there before and been through a good preseason and we need to start the season off well.”

“I’m really excited to go – LA have a good squad,” said Switchbacks newcomer Ismaila Jome.  “They’ll be good and I think it will be a quality match. I know some guys on their team and am just excited to get out there for a good game and to start the season.”

“They’re going to possess the ball well – they’re a high-energy team,” said Switchbacks midfielder Rony Argueta when asked about Saturday’s opponent.  “This trip will be especially important for the new guys coming into this league or into a new conference with us out west. We are confident, we’ve had a strong preseason: I think we’ll be alright and we’ll make the adjustments we need.  Hopefully we get some warm and dry weather out there – I hear it’s been raining – but we’ll do whatever is needed to play our game.”

A weekend storm in Colorado Springs forced the Switchbacks indoors to begin the week leading into the journey to the southern reaches of the Golden State.  “It’s not been the best for us,” said Trittschuh. “We need to find a plowed field where we can use the space. It’s not been the best preparation but it’s more of a mental thing on how we get past it.  The guys will be itching to play their first game of the season and we’re already starting to feel that.”

Following Saturday’s match, the Switchbacks will return to Colorado Springs to begin preparations for the home opener at Weidner Field against Sacramento Republic FC.  The first part of the 2019 Poster Giveaway Series will greet the first 500 fans in attendance, with a fireworks display to follow the final whistle as part of a St. Paddy’s Day celebration.