EL PASO, Texas – October 17, 2021 – El Paso Locomotive (16-3-10, 58 points) picked up only its third loss in 29 games this season, falling 5-0 to LA Galaxy II on Sunday night. El Paso Youth Soccer Club players Midfielder Brooklyn Raines and Midfielder Diego Garcia made their professional debuts as second-half substitutions for Locomotive.
Locomotive got off to a rough start despite dominating the play on the field. Locomotive controlled possession throughout the first half while matching LA Galaxy II in terms of shots taken, however, the ball didn’t go the Locos’ way. El Paso had difficulties breaking through the packed in LA defense, finding their shots blocked, flying wide, or directly into the hands of Galaxy II goalkeeper Justin vom Steeg. Meanwhile, Galaxy II found three goals through the first half with Carlos Harvey finding an opening goal in the 7th minute before Preston Judd earned his brace with goals in the 17th and 30th minutes.
Locomotive looked to make a comeback in the second half, once again controlling possession, but finding few shots on target to pull one back on the score sheet. In the end, it would be Los Dos capitalizing on their time with the ball, finding two more through Jorge Hernandez in the 69th minute and Cameron Dunbar in the 93rd. Locomotive injected young blood into the lineup to bring energy to the game with the debuts of Garcia and Raines. With the youthful energy, Locomotive fought to bounce back, but the late goals from Galaxy II put the game to bed for Locomotive’s third loss of the season.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
LA: Carlos Harvey (Jorge Hernandez), 7th minute: From a freekick, LA Galaxy II served in a ball that initially the Locomotive defense was able to deal with easily. On the clean-up and follow-through, however, Hernandez resent the ball to the middle from a cross where Harvey connected the header to put LA up with an early lead.
LA: Preston Judd (Joshua Drack), 17th minute: Getting a hold on the ball just shy of the half-line on a pass from Drack, Judd made a run down to the top of the box where he took a quick shot low, skipping over the grass and into the back end of the near post to double the LA lead.
LA: Preston Judd, 30th minute: A play that started with Jorge Hernandez getting a well-placed curved shot that seemed destined for goal, Goalkeeper Logan Ketterer expertly deflected the ball back out into the penalty area. Judd was there in the right place at the right time to clean up and put away a third of the night for Galaxy II.
LA: Jorge Hernandez (Cameron Dunbar), 69th minute: Unchallenged at the corner of the penalty area, Jorge Hernandez took a run down the right side of the pitch before cracking a shot towards the far post. Logan Ketterer was able to get a touch but wasn’t able to put a stop to the ball as it buried into the side netting.
LA: Cameron Dunbar (Joshua Drack), 93rd minute: Latching on to a cross that switched the play, Dunbar danced into the penalty area before courageously taking a shot past his defender and into the far post to provide Locomotive a 5-0 lead.
NOTES:
- Midfielder Brooklyn Raines and Diego Garcia from the El Paso Youth Soccer Club made their professional debuts tonight. Garcia subbed in at the 80th minute while Raines subbed in at the 85th.
- El Paso Locomotive has still mathematically claimed the Mountain Division, despite the loss against LA Galaxy II, as San Antonio FC drew level on Saturday night.
- This match is only the third loss for EL Paso Locomotive FC after 29 games in the 2021 USL Championship Season, maintaining a run for the best regular-season record in the league.
