USL PRO Game Report
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy II saw their three-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday with a 2-1 loss to the Rochester Rhinos at the StubHub Center. Jonny Mendoza and Alex Dixon scored in the first half for the Rhinos while Rafael Garcia tallied the lone goal for Los Dos. The defeat was the first at home since April 15 for LA, which dropped to 8-3-3 in its inaugural USL PRO campaign. The Rhinos improved to 5-3-5.
The match started poorly for Los Dos as a defensive breakdown in the ninth minute allowed Mendoza to slip in behind the Galaxy II defense and tap a shot past goalkeeper Cody Laurendi at the near post. Immediately after the goal, the home side pushed forward in search of an equalizer, but yet another mistake in the back led to a second goal for Rochester.
In the 29th minute, Los Dos center back Bradley Diallo coughed up the ball in the penalty area which was subsequently picked up by Dixon who slotted a shot past a helpless Laurendi to double Rochester’s lead.
Galaxy II appeared to have scored in the 71st minute when Charlie Rugg had the ball in the back of the net but assistant referee Eduardo Mariscal had his flag up for offside.
Los Dos cut the Rhinos’ lead in half just four minutes later. After a foul on Homegrown Player Raul Mendiola at the top of the penalty area, Garcia stepped up and curled a lovely free kick into the near post past Rhinos goalkeeper John McCarthy.
Following the goal, Los Dos pushed forward but could not find an equalizer despite dominating possession. Garcia came closest to leveling the score late, but his stoppage time blast from beyond the 18-yard-box sailed narrowly wide as Rochester held on for the victory.
LA Galaxy II will return to action when they face the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium on Saturday, June 14 at 4:30 p.m. PT. The match against the Battery will be the start of a three-game road swing for Los Dos. Rochester continues its two-game western swing at Arizona United on Saturday.