OFFICIAL: Ventura County FC aka LA Galaxy II 2024 Season

Great 3-1 win by VCFC. Tucker Lepley, who had a few turnovers in the first half because he was trying to be too pretty, had a great second half and scored his first professional goal. But the excellent performance came from Isaiah Parente, who was absolutely everywhere, defending, get out of pressure with some nifty moves (something I haven't seen him do much this year), and great passing. His stock has really been rising up lately.

You're right @Benny Dargle, I thought about my comments last week on Harbor Miller... I must say he was superb tonight, especially on the offensive side with a couple of give and go with Ifu Achara that lead to two goals.

Ghanaian midfielder Hope Avayevu made his debut for VCFC and had a good lay off to Lepley on his goal, but was also responsible for a useless foul that lead to a PK in stoppage time. He looked comfortable with the ball but I'm not surprised, his numbers with Dallas reserves are impressive (11 goals and 13 assists in 43 MLS Next Pro games).

Defense did a good job overall and Brady Scott remains one of the most consistent player this season.

 

Your starting XI for todays game vs @houstondynamo2 #vamosvcfc pic.twitter.com/tl7XZbV7mB

— Ventura County FC (@vcfcpro) September 8, 2024

2-2 draw on the road at Houston 2 last night, with another shootout win for VCFC. If my count is right, it's 8 wins out of 10 shootouts this year for our reserves.

VCFC had a stinker in the first half, gifting two goals (plus Houston 2 hitting the post two times) and being destroyed in the midfield. Nico Schelotto and Gabriel Arnold really need to work on their defense, they're super light for MLS Next Pro right now. Christian Tchouante had another terrible game and was replaced at halftime.

Things went better in the second half, with Ruben Ramos Jr. once again showing the way to a comeback with a beautiful goal scored on his wrong foot. Like last week Hope Avayevu, one of our summer signings, changed everything with the vision and creativity he brang, scoring another assist for the second game in a row (two assists in two 17-minute cameo appearances). Can't wait to see him start in place of Sean Karani.

The good story came from Ifu Achara, who is loaned from Houston 2. He had an assist on Ramos Jr.'s goal and scored the game tying goal on a bicycle kick. It's been two goals and one assist for Achara in the last three games, it's crazy to think he hadn't scored a goal since 2021 before coming to VCFC.

Ramos Jr curls in a beauty and pulls one back for @vcfcmlsnp 🤯 pic.twitter.com/UJOPlGWlGI

— MLS NEXT Pro (@MLSNEXTPRO) September 9, 2024

BICYCLE KICK ALERT 🚲

Achara scores against his former club to level it all up for @vcfcmlsnp! pic.twitter.com/e82Ddm2Tmb

— MLS NEXT Pro (@MLSNEXTPRO) September 9, 2024

 

Fair result, Dallas reserves are so much better an our reserves. I'm not in a hurry to meet them in the playoffs.

We are definitely very thin at the CB position : Axel Essengue had an excellent game but Christian Tchouante is very mistake-prone, Victor Casillas is too young and not ready yet. We really missed Pepe Magana. I'm not sure I've said it in the past but Riley Dalgado looks like Julian Aude a lot in his style of play.

Ilijah Paul is a very active forward who likes to be everywhere on the field but doesn't impress me in the final third. Not bad, but for MLS that probably won't be enough. Ruben Ramos Jr. had one of his worst game of the season.

 

What a shameful loss. VCFC scored an early goal thanks to a great job from Ilijah Paul on the sideline and a good finish from Ruben Ramos Jr. Defense was solid, Brady Scott once again made a couple of great saves, Essengue played well, Nico Schelotto vision was something else...

And then the subs happened. Sean Karani once again hurt us after failing to clear a cross near the box on the first goal, then Christian Tchouante made that awful clearance that 16 years old CB Enrique Martinez (who was making his first start) failed to recognize the danger. We really shot ourselves in the foot.

VCFC will probably make the playoffs but I don't see this team making a deep run.

 

The loss wasn't deserved. VCFC really brang their A game, creating many opportunities on set pieces and in open play. St-Louis probably had better individuals up front, as Ilijah Paul missed a couple of golden chances (and got what looked a very harsh red card in the end).

Ruben Ramos Jr. was excellent, always very clever and decisive near the box. 1 goal and 1 assist to add to his tally, by my count he's been decisive every 167 minutes in MLS Next Pro, which is impressive for a 17 years old. He's less flashy than Efrain Alvarez or Jonathan Pérez, but just so deadly... I have high hopes for him.

Very good game from Tucker Lepley, he was everywhere but has always the tendancy to use more his feet and his skills than his brain. Very interesting player to polish.

Pepe Magana had an interesting game : for 75 minutes the young CB looked great, then was beaten by the same player on the exact same run just minutes apart. He's 17 too (15 days older than Ramos Jr. !) but seems to have the whole package : height, quickness, anticipation, very good with the ball at his feet. A name to remember.

Last regular season game on Sunday at Salt Lake 2 then a playoff game for what will probably result in a quick exit for VCFC. I would not be surprised, our reserves season has rely on two things : a great start and scraping points from penalty shootouts. We're a very average team right now.

That said, if you want to watch a replay of a very enjoyable game with a couple of pomising youngsters (Ramos Jr. #84, Miller #75, Magana #64, Dalgado #50) and a few first team depth players (Lepley #21, Parente #52 and GK Scott #31), it's here :