CARSON, Calif. – Playing in their third road match of the season, T2 sustained their loss of the 2019 USL Championship campaign, falling 3-2 to LA Galaxy II at Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium on Saturday night. In his first start of the year, Portland Timbers academy product Gio Calixtro tallied a brace, while Eryk Williamson recorded two assists in the match.
Goal-scorer
With his two-goal performance, Calixtro is the youngest player (18 years, 9 months, 3 days) to record a brace for T2, and the third player to register a brace for the club in 2019. Dairon Asprilla scored two goals against Las Vegas Lights FC on March 23, while Marvin Loría tallied two goals against San Antonio FC on March 16.
Portland against LA Galaxy II
With the loss, T2 is now 4-5-0 in nine all-time matches against LA Galaxy II (2-2-0, 6pts), including a 3-2-0 record in Carson, Calif. In nine matches between the two teams dating back to July 26, 2015, Portland and LA have combined to score 48 goals, with each side scoring 24 apiece in the series. The match on Saturday marked the first of two regular-season matches between T2 and LA Galaxy II in 2019, as they will face each other again at Providence Park on Saturday, July 28.
Road form
In three road matches this season, Portland has a record of 1-1-1, tallying six goals. Portland is now 5-2-3 in its last 10 road contests dating back to July 28, 2018.
T2 debuts
In addition to Calixtro making his 2019 debut, Cristian Ojeda and Zach Kobayashi each made their T2 debuts as second-half substitutes.
Key plays
T2 took a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute when Williamson fed Calixtro just outside the edge of the box; Calixtro powered his shot into the lower right corner of the net past LA goalkeeper Eric Lopez.
LA tied the match in the 34th minute after Geoffrey Acheampong fired his header from inside the box into the back of the net. Galaxy II took a 2-1 lead in the 38th minute when Tomas Hilliard-Arce powered his header from an in-swinging corner kick past T2 goalkeeper Jake Leeker.
T2 tied the match at 2-2 in the 65th minute when Williamson’s off-balance pass inside the penalty area to Calixtro was poked past Lopez to complete the academy product’s brace. The assist marked Williamson’s fourth of the 2019 USL Championship regular season.
In the 68th minute, Brayan Hurtado’s shot from the left side of the box was fired over the crossbar. Six minutes later, Renzo Zambrano found Calixtro inside the center of the penalty area, but his shot was parried away by Lopez in the 74th minute.
Continuing on the attack, Zambrano delivered a cross from the left wing into the box to Williamson, but his volleyed attempt missed the target in the 85th minute.
Galaxy II scored the game-winning goal in the 90th minute when Emil Cuello’s free-kick service found Hilliard-Arce, whose header from inside the area found the back of the net.
Next Game
Next up, T2 travel to face OKC Energy FC at Taft Stadium on Saturday, April 6. Beginning at 5:30 p.m. (Pacific), the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Postgame Quote Sheet
T2 head coach Cameron Knowles
On the team’s performance in the second half...
“Always tough to lose a game conceding late on. I think we did a lot better in the second half to get ourselves back in the game. Got some good plays in that second half that unfortunately does not show.”
On Portland Timbers academy product Gio Calixtro’s performance...
“I thought it was outstanding. He’s been very good at training in the last two weeks and probably for most of the season, really. He’s been really waiting for his opportunity and it finally came this weekend and he grabbed it with both hands. He was outstanding.”
On facing OKC Energy FC on the road next week…
“They’re a very good team. We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board and put some good work to prepare for a very good team and some good experienced players. They are well-coached and their home field is a difficult place to play, so we are going to need to be on top of our game.”
T2 (2-1-1, 7pts) at LA Galaxy II (2-2-0, 6pts)
March 30, 2019 – Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium (Carson, Calif.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
T2 1 1 2
LA Galaxy II 2 1 3
Scoring Summary:
POR: Calixtro (Williamson), 12
LA: Acheampong (Koreniuk), 34
LA: Hilliard-Arce (Cuello), 38
POR: Calixtro (Williamson), 65
LA: Hilliard-Arce (Cuello), 90
Misconduct Summary
POR: Williamson (Caution), 78
POR: Wharton (Caution), 83
Lineups:
POR: GK Leeker, D Hanson, D Jadama, D Miller, D Farfan (Ojeda, 90+2), M Wharton, M Zambrano ©, M Sierakowski (Kobayashi, 68), M Williamson, M Hurtado, F Calixtro
Substitutes Not Used: GK Lyon, D Ornstil, D Smith, M Anguiano
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Calixtro, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Calixtro, 3); FOULS: 21 (Williamson, Zambrano, 4); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 3
LA: GK Lopez, D Shultz, D Hilliard-Arce, D Gallagher, D Fiddes, M Vera (Tchilao, 74), M Harvey, M Cuello (DePuy, 90+3), M Acheampong ©, M Koreniuk, F Zubak (Lopez, 78)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Romero, D Ontiveros, M J. Hernandez, F Williams
TOTAL SHOTS: 20 (Zubak, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Hilliard-Arce, 3) FOULS: 16 (Gallagher, 4)); OFFSIDES:1; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 2
Referee: Joseph Salinas
Assistant Referees: Stephen McGonagle, Jorge Partida
4th Official: David Ramirez
Attendance: 788
Weather: Clear, 67 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
