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Week 30 Preview: Just Win

By Tyler Vaughn, 09/26/19, 1:45PM CDT

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USL Championship – Match 31
Energy FC @ Los Angeles Galaxy II
Saturday, September 28 – 9 p.m. CDT
Dignity Health Sports Park – Carson, Calif.

Where to Watch

Official Watch Party
ESPN+
@EnergyFC on Twitter

Week 29 Recap

Energy FC head to Los Angeles after a 0-0 draw at home to Sacramento Republic FC. The clean sheet was Cody Laurendi and the OKC defense's sixth of the season, and the goalkeeper recorded a season-high seven saves in the process.

Week 30 Preview

Next is a matchup with Los Angeles Galaxy II, a team Energy FC has met on 12 occasions, winning four, losing four and drawing four.

Both sides are fighting for a playoff spot with a win significantly boosting postseason odds for either club. The first meeting of the year, June 1 at Taft Stadium, ended in a 0-0 draw.

Everyone on the squad is well aware of the playoff implications this match holds and how it is to get back to winning ways. After drawing last Sunday, Laurendi was vocal about the need for three points and knows the team needs to step up.

“No added pressure but things are ramping up. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games, and that’s the mentality that we’re taking into the rest of the season.”

Chris Duvall might be new to the squad, but he’s well aware of what it’s going to take to keep playing deep into October.

“We have to get wins and pick up three points. It’s everything.”

Kai Koreniuk’s eight goals is the most for Los Dos, including three in his last six appearances. During that span, the team has picked up three wins and two draws to enter the playoff conversation.

Deshorn Brown still leads OKC with 13 goals, Omar Gordon has the most assists with seven, and Laurendi has extended his USL saves lead to 98.

Table Talk

Two draws and two losses in the last four matches have the Greens in 13th place and on the outside, looking in on the playoff picture. Good news is OKC is just one point off the 10th and final playoff spot and only two points behind Saturday’s opponent, Los Dos.

With three of the final four matches away to teams in playoff positions, it’s going to take maximum effort and to get into the position, and simply put, the Greens need to win some games.

With the table so congested, Head Coach Steve Cooke knows that a win can drastically change things, as it has done all season, and his squad will be looking for nothing less Saturday night.

“As you’ve seen throughout the year, one win and you move up a few spots and one loss and you move down a few spots. We need to get some wins on the board. When we go to LA, we should be looking from the offset to be absolutely clued in to wanting to get three points, doing everything required to get three points, making sure we do everything together to make certain we win the game.”

As you can see below, a win this weekend could vault Energy FC back into a Western Conference playoff spot:

Saturday’s match kicks off from Dignity Health Sports Park at 9 p.m. CDT and will be streamed live on ESPN+. The official, all-ages watch party will once again be held at Guyutes on Uptown 23rd.

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