Week 12 Recap

Energy FC (5th, 5-4-3, 18 points) wrap up a three-match, league homestand tomorrow night after coming off back-to-back wins. Last Saturday, the Greens defeated Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, 1-0, thanks to Omar Gordon’s thunder-strike in the 15th minute and the team’s second clean sheet of the season.

OKC then advanced to the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after a thrilling, 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Tuesday night. Gordon, Alexy Bosetti, Christian Eissele and Deshorn Brown all got in on the goals to book a spot against FC Dallas in the next round.

The recent run of form means that Energy FC have only lost one match in their eight.

Week 13 Opposition

Tomorrow’s visit from LA Galaxy II (9th, 4-4-5, 13 points) could potentially be another goal fest. Energy FC have scored in every match this year, including 19 times in USL Championship play and seven times in the U.S. Open Cup. Los Dos have found the back of the net on 22 occasions, making them the fifth-most proficient attacking team in the league.

Where Los Dos have struggled is on the defensive end. LA has given up 22 goals, the second-most in all of the USL Championship. Energy FC are tied for the 10th-most goals conceded with 19; however, 10 of those came during a difficult, three-match stretch where the side was struggling with injuries and new additions to the squad. Things at the back look to be much tighter, and that’s only going to improve throughout the season.

A big reason for the recent improvement in the back is the stellar play from Alvin Jones, who earned USL Championship Team of the Week honors for Week 12.

As usual, the LA Galaxy II squad is full of young, talented players with 21-year-old Kai Koreniuk leading the way with four goals on the season. Two-time 20 Under 20 award winner Ethan Zubak is right behind him with three goals and a handful of other players have chipped in with two. Brian Iloski is their assist leader with three, but it’s fair to say that any player on their roster can do damage at any time.

Los Dos will also be looking to avenge last year’s results, as the Greens did the double with a 1-0 win at Taft Stadium in June and a 3-1 win in LA in September. Those results brought the all-time series record to four wins apiece and three draws. Energy FC have only ever lost once to LA Galaxy II at Taft Stadium: the 2015 Western Conference Final.

Energy FC will be without midfielder Rafael Garcia, as the fiery veteran picked up his fifth yellow card against the Switchbacks and will serve a one-match suspension.

This could be the last time we see Gordon,  Jones, Cordell Cato, Je-Vaughn Watson and Mekeil Williams in an Energy FC shirt for a little while, depending on who gets selected by their respective national teams for various Gold Cup tune-up matches. There will be more on that to come next week.

Saturday’s match kicks off at 8:00 p.m. CDT at Taft Stadium, and as always, tickets are available with tons of special offers and promotions at energyfc.com/june or by calling 235-KICK.