LA Galaxy II

Last updated
LA Galaxy II
LA Galaxy II logo.svg
Nickname(s)Los Dos
FoundedJanuary 29, 2014;10 years ago (January 29, 2014)
Stadium Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium
Carson, California
Capacity5,000
Owner LA Galaxy (AEG)
Manager Matt Taylor
League MLS Next Pro
2023 14th, Western Conference
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Website Club website
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

LA Galaxy II is an American professional soccer team based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, United States founded in 2014. It is the reserve team of the LA Galaxy. The team competes in MLS Next Pro, the third tier of the United States soccer league system, having previously played in the USL Championship.

Contents

History

It was announced on January 29, 2014 that the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer would be fielding their own team in the USL Pro to serve as their reserve team beginning with the 2014 USL Pro season. The Galaxy chose to create their own team in the league instead of affiliating with a current USL Pro team after the two leagues formed a partnership the previous year. The current assistant coach of the senior squad, Curt Onalfo, would become head coach of the reserve squad. The club would play its home matches at Dignity Health Sports Park's Track & Field Stadium, a 1,200-seat stadium near the main stadium, home to the senior club. [1] Onalfo had led the Galaxy's previous reserve squad to two consecutive MLS Reserve League West Division titles. [2] In the process, the LA Galaxy became the first MLS club to own and operate its own USL Pro side. [2]

About forming the reserve team, Galaxy President Chris Klein said, “The creation of LA Galaxy II, through USL PRO, provides the Galaxy with a fully realized, in-house player development program starting with the Under-12 Academy through the LA Galaxy first team. The investment of AEG and the Galaxy for LA Galaxy II will allow us to continue to develop the best players in Southern California while closing the gap between the Galaxy Academy and the LA Galaxy.” [1]

2014 season

The club's first match took place on February 13, 2014 as they defeated Fresno Fuego of the USL Premier Development League 2–1. Travis Bowen scored the team's first-ever goal. [3] The team made its USL Pro debut on March 22, 2014, defeating the league's other LA club, the Orange County Blues FC, 3–1 at home. Charlie Rugg scored their first goal in USL Pro competition. [4] [5] In the regular season, the Galaxy II earned third place in the league's standings, having a 15–6–7 (W-L-T) record, qualifying for the playoffs. The Galaxy II had faced against the Rochester Rhinos during the quarter finals, who they defeated and advance to face Sacramento Republic FC in the semifinals. The Galaxy II were defeated against Sacramento Republic therefore being eliminated, and ending their inaugural season.

Daniel Steres was named captain, and was named Defender of the Year. [6] [7]

2015 season

Los Dos finished 5th in the Western Conference during the regular season of the newly formatted USL. During the playoffs, The Galaxy II defeated Sacramento Republic in overtime, advancing to face first seeded OKC Energy in the Conference Finals. Los Dos became Conference champions, after defeating OKC Energy, and went on to face Rochester Rhinos in the USL championship. The Galaxy II were defeated in the championship game.

Daniel Steres was again named Defender of the Year. [6] [7]

MLS Next Pro

MLS announced that it would be one of the new eight teams to join MLS Next Pro in 2023. [8]

Stadium

The team currently plays in the Track & Field Facility at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The field has 2,000 permanent seats, but can be expanded to hold as many as 20,000 fans. [9] The main stadium at Dignity Health Sports Park holds 27,000 attendees and is the home of the LA Galaxy first team.

Club culture

Rivalries

LA Galaxy II competes in the 405 Derby against rivals Orange County SC. [10] The clubs are, as of late 2022, in a dispute over who will play at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California, Orange County SC's current home stadium, after leaked documents showed the Galaxy organization is attempting to seize full-time usage of the venue. [11]

Players and staff

The squad of LA Galaxy II is composed of an unrestricted number of first-team players on loan to the reserve team, players signed by Galaxy II, and LA Galaxy Academy players. Academy players who appear in matches with LA Galaxy II retain their college eligibility. [1]

Current roster

As of March 23, 2023 [12]
No.Pos.PlayerNation
38 MF Axel Picazo Flag of the United States.svg  United States
41 GK Simon Jillson Flag of the United States.svg  United States
47 DF Carson Klein Flag of the United States.svg  United States
48 MF Diego López Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
51 DF Ascel Essengue Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon
52 DF Elijah Amadin Flag of the United States.svg  United States
60 GK Nolan Anderson Flag of the United States.svg  United States
66 DF Matteo Carbone Flag of the United States.svg  United States
74 FW Sergio Villalpando Flag of the United States.svg  United States
— DF Harbor Miller Flag of the United States.svg  United States
  1. ^
    Signed to first team contract with LA Galaxy.
  2. ^
    LA Galaxy Academy player.

Coaching staff

RoleNameNation
Head Coach Matt Taylor Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Assistant CoachDavid SauvryFlag of France.svg  France
Goalkeeping Coach Ian Feuer Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Video AnalystGrant HeywoodFlag of England.svg  England

Team records

As of September 24, 2022

Year-by-year

YearDivisionLeagueRegular season W-T-LPlayoffsU.S. Open CupAvg. attendanceTop scorerGoals
2014 3 USL 3rd: 15–6–7Semifinals 3R 597 Flag of the United States.svg Chandler Hoffman 14
2015 USL 5th, Western: 14–3–11Runner-Up 2R 969 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Ariel Lassiter 11
2016 USL 5th, Western: 12–11–7Conference quarterfinalsNot eligible (MLS Reserve Team)1,211 Flag of the United States.svg Jack McBean 15
2017 2 USL 13th, Western: 8–5–19did not qualifyNot eligible (MLS Reserve Team)1,215 Flag of the United States.svg Justin Dhillon
Flag of the United States.svg Adrian Vera 		6
2018 USL 14th, Western: 10–7–17did not qualifyNot eligible (MLS Reserve Team)1,048 Flag of Cuba.svg Frank López 13
2019 USLC 9th, Western: 12–12–10Play-in roundNot eligible (MLS Reserve Team)881 Flag of the United States.svg Ethan Zubak
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Kai Koreniuk 		9
2020 USLC 8th, Western: 8–2–6
2nd Group B		Conference quarterfinalsNot eligible (MLS Reserve Team)N/A Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Augustine Williams 13
2021 USLC 11th, Western: 11-6-15did not qualifyCanceledN/A Flag of the United States.svg Preston Judd 17
2022 USLC 11th, Western: 11-7-16did not qualifyNot eligible (MLS Reserve Team)N/A Flag of the United States.svg Preston Judd 13
2023 3 MLSNP 14th, Western: 5-6-17did not qualifyNot eligible (MLS Reserve Team)N/A Flag of Cameroon.svg Aaron Bibout 14

Head coaches

All time LA Galaxy II Coaching Stats
CoachNationalityStartEndGamesWinLossDrawWin %
Curt Onalfo Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States January 29, 2014December 13, 201695462920048.42
Mike Muñoz Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States January 12, 2017July 19, 201985234220027.06
Junior Gonzalez (Interim)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States July 19, 2019January 8, 202015654040.00
Junior Gonzalez Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States January 8, 2020December 18, 202116862050.00
Yoann Damet Flag of France.svg  France January 28, 2022July 1, 202218738038.89

Honors

Player honors

YearPlayerCountryPositionHonor
2014 Chandler Hoffman Flag of the United States.svg United StatesForwardAll-League First Team
André Auras Flag of France.svg FranceMidfielderAll-League Second Team
Daniel Steres Flag of the United States.svg United StatesDefenderAll-League Second Team
2015 Daniel Steres Flag of the United States.svg United StatesDefenderAll-League First Team
2016 Jack McBean Flag of the United States.svg United StatesForwardAll-League First Team
2018 Efraín Álvarez Flag of Mexico.svg MexicoMidfielderYoung Player of the Year
2020 [13] Augustine Williams Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra LeoneForwardAll-League First Team

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "LA Galaxy Place Team in USL PRO". USL Pro. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 "LA Galaxy announce they will form their own USL PRO franchise named LA Galaxy II". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  3. ↑ "LA Galaxy II victorious in first ever match with a 2–1 win over Fresno Fuego". LA Galaxy. February 13, 2014. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  4. ↑ "LA Galaxy II announce USL PRO schedule". LA Galaxy. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  5. ↑ "LA Galaxy II win inaugural match over Orange County Blues 3–1". LA Galaxy. March 22, 2014. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Getting 2 know Galaxy II: Defender Daniel Steres". LA Galaxy. 15 April 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Daniel Steres LA Galaxy:Profile" . Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "MLS NEXT Pro Unveils 21 Clubs for Inaugural Season". orlandocitysc.
  9. ↑ "Track & Field Facility". Dignity Health Sports Park . Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  10. ↑ "EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN ORANGE COUNTY SC VISITS LOS DOS". orangecountysoccer.com. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  11. ↑ Calhoun, Damian (August 8, 2022). "Irvine City Council's plans to discuss use of Championship Soccer Stadium moved off of agenda". The Orange County Register. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Players". lagalaxy.com. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  13. ↑ "USL Championship Reveals 2020 All-League Teams". USLChampionship.com Staff. October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
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