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USL LA Galaxy II

LA Galaxy II Victorious in First Ever Match

February 14, 2014 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
LA Galaxy II News Release


FRESNO, Calif. - First game and a first win for LA Galaxy II.

Travis Bowen and Raul Mendiola scored while goalkeeper Cody Laurendi made five saves as the newly formed USL PRO side defeated the Fresno Fuego 2-1 on Saturday at Chukchansi Park in their inaugural match.

Galaxy II scored their first-ever goal in the 11th minute when Bowen, the older brother of former Galaxy Homegrown Product Tristan, capitalized on a turnover by Fuego goalkeeper Beau Diaz and poked the loose ball into the goal. Galaxy II continued to turn the screws on the PDL side as the half wore on, spearheaded by the influential play of LA Homegrown forward Jack McBean, who frequently tested the Fuego defenders.

In the 22nd minute, Galaxy II added another as an Oscar Sorto cross found a waiting McBean who laid off a pass into the path of Raul Mendiola who finished emphatically.

The Fuego battled back in the waning moments forcing Galaxy II 'keeper Cody Laurendi to push a Paul Islas shot over the bar. But, on the ensuing set piece, defender Cody Ellison smashed a Milton Blanco corner into the back of the net to cut the Galaxy II's lead in half.

At the start of the second half, Galaxy II head coach Curt Onalfo made almost wholesale changes as Laurendi, midfielder Aleksandra Djokovic and Academy starlet Jamie Villarreal, who came on late in the first half for Bowen, stayed on.

After Galaxy II dominated much of the first half, the Fuego roared back in the second half, but were unable to get by Laurendi. The Galaxy II 'keeper made three saves in the second half including an acrobatic stop on a Milton Blanco free kick to preserve the victory for the USL PRO side.

With Laurendi keeping the Fuego off the board, LA nearly doubled their lead twice but could not score as Laurent Courtois saw a free kick sail high while before Galaxy U-18 leading goal scorer Adonis Amaya had a scoring opportunity of his own fail to connect on frame just minutes later.

All four Galaxy Academy players who traveled with the team suited up at some point in the match as local boy Eljiah Martin came on in the closing stages in front of a dozen of his family and friends.

Galaxy II will return to action next Saturday when they take on the LA first team in the inaugural "White vs. Blue Game" on Feb. 22 at StubHub Center.

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