In this year’s edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Los Angeles FC 2 has been tasked with representing defending champions, and parent club, Los Angeles FC.
In the first round, The Black and Gold reserves felt the responsibility ahead, but managed to coast to a 7-1 win over FC Arizona from the National Premier Soccer League at Titan’s Stadium in Fullerton, Calif.
“It’s a big responsibility on us,” said LAFC 2 midfielder Bryan Moyado, who featured in this competition with the first team two years ago. “But everyone’s up to the challenge.
“We have a strong group and everyone knows that if we all fight together we’re going to make a good run and defend our championship.”
Tommy Mihalic, who was revealed as a new signing five days ago, opened his LAFC 2 account in fashion with a pair of assist and goal while Sebastian Nava and Jude Terry also shined.
FC Arizona midfielder Gabriel Waters put the visitors on the board at the hour mark — but not before the hosts had notched four of their own beyond goalkeeper Derek Hatcher.
LAFC 2 got the scoring started early when Matthew Evans met Mihalic’s low cross with a left-footed finish from just inside the box after 89 seconds.
Before The Black and Gold extended its lead, the visitors managed to create an opportunity to equalize through Jesse Maldonado.
His give-and-go with Waters led the former into the box with a clear chance at goal which resulted in a shot that whistled just wide of the post.
“I think I’m not going to sleep tonight or maybe a couple of days because of that,” FC Arizona head coach Alejandro Aguilar said. “That lapse, we started to control the game a little bit for seven minutes.
We had that chance and suddenly they break us and they score the second goal.”
FCA’s best passage of play came during the time between LAFC 2’s first and second goals — the second came after 27 minutes when Terry laced a shot on target from distance that went straight at Hatcher who should have done better at keeping the ball out of the net.
The goal was assisted by Mihalic and marked the 16-year-old’s first goal as a professional, setting The Black and Gold up for a commanding final 15 minutes in the first half.
Mihalic added to his pair of assists just before the break with a goal from close range.
Alex Hughes’ attempt on goal was saved by Hatcher, but only as far as Mihalic who pounced on the rebound to slash it into the net for a 3-0 lead at halftime.
“Even when we were 3-0 up at halftime,” LAFC 2 head coach Junior Gonzalez said. “I was not as happy with our defensive structure and some of our pressure.
“They had some good chances and good combination play where I think they could have scored one or two in the first half — in the second half we sheared that up a little bit and I was happy that the players were able to take the information and change behaviors in the second half.”
Terry added his second three minutes after the break with a clinical, first-time shot from just inside the box to put the hosts 4-0 up before Waters’ opener for FCA.
Evans got his second after 65 minutes from a snap-shot that beat Hatcher — who saved nine of LAFC 2’s 16 shots on target.
Nava added the game’s seventh goal with 8 minutes remaining and substitute Kairo Walters finished off LAFC 2’s scoring in stoppage time.
“It’s a special scenario,” Gonzalez said. “where our second team is defending the cup that the first team earned last season so we made sure the players knew the history of the open cup and how important it is for football in our country. And it’s a privilege that the club allowed us to compete in it.”
The Black and Gold will have to wait for the announcement from US Soccer for its next opponent in the Second Round which is set to be played between April 1-2.