Ventura County FC
File:LA Galaxy II logo.svg | |||
Nickname(s) | Los Dos | ||
---|---|---|---|
Founded | January 29, 2014 | ||
Stadium | Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium Carson, California | ||
Capacity | 2,000 (expandable to 20,000) | ||
Owner | LA Galaxy (AEG) | ||
Manager | Junior Gonzalez | ||
League | USL Championship | ||
2019 | 9th, Western Conference Playoffs: Play-In Round | ||
Website | Club website | ||
| |||
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 currently competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of the United States soccer league system.[1] The team were runners up in the 2015 edition of the USL championship in which the Los Dos lost to the Rochester Rhinos.
Purpose
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]
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]
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 teams 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]
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.[8] The main stadium at Dignity Health Sports Park holds 27,000 attendees and is the home of the LA Galaxy first team.
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
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad correct as of August 16, 2019.
- ^ Signed to first team contract with LA Galaxy.
- ^ LA Galaxy Academy player.
Coaching staff
Role | Name | Nation |
---|---|---|
Head Coach | Junior Gonzalez | ![]() |
Goalkeeper Coach | Claine Plummer | ![]() |
Team records
- As of October 23, 2019
Year-by-year
Year | Division | League | Regular Season W-T-L | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Avg. Attendance | Top Scorer | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | 3 | USL | 3rd: 15–6–7 | Semifinals | 3R | 597 | ![]() |
14 |
2015 | 3 | USL | 5th, Western: 14–3–11 | Runner-Up | 2R | 969 | ![]() |
11 |
2016 | 3 | USL | 5th, Western: 12–11–7 | Conference Quarterfinals | Not eligible (MLS Reserve Team) | 1,211 | ![]() |
15 |
2017 | 2 | USL | 13th, Western: 8–5–19 | Did not qualify | Not eligible (MLS Reserve Team) | 1,215 | ![]() ![]() |
6 |
2018 | 2 | USL | 14th, Western: 10–7–17 | Did not qualify | Not eligible (MLS Reserve Team) | 1,048 | ![]() |
13 |
2019 | 2 | USLC | 9th, Western: 12–12–10 | Play-In Round | Not eligible (MLS Reserve Team) | 881 | ![]() ![]() |
9 |
Head coaches
- Includes USL Regular season, USL Play-offs and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Coach | Nationality | Start | End | Games | Win | Loss | Draw | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Curt Onalfo | ![]() |
January 29, 2014 | December 13, 2016 | 95 | 46 | 29 | 20 | 48.42 |
Mike Muñoz | ![]() |
January 12, 2017 | July 19, 2019 | 85 | 23 | 42 | 20 | 27.06 |
Junior Gonzalez (Interim) | ![]() |
July 19, 2019 | January 8, 2020 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 40.00 |
Junior Gonzalez | ![]() |
January 8, 2020 | present | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Honors
- USL Championship
- Runners Up : 2015
- Western Conference (Playoffs)
- Winners : 2015
References
- ^ a b c d "LA Galaxy Place Team in USL PRO". USL Pro. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
- ^ a b "LA Galaxy announce they will form their own USL PRO franchise named LA Galaxy II". Major League Soccer. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ "LA Galaxy II victorious in first ever match with a 2–1 win over Fresno Fuego". LA Galaxy. February 13, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ "LA Galaxy II announce USL PRO schedule". LA Galaxy. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "LA Galaxy II win inaugural match over Orange County Blues 3–1". LA Galaxy. March 22, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ a b "Getting 2 know Galaxy II: Defender Daniel Steres". LA Galaxy. 15 April 2015.
- ^ a b "Daniel Steres LA Galaxy:Profile". Retrieved 6 August 2016.
- ^ "Track & Field Facility". Dignity Health Sports Park. Retrieved September 12, 2018.