FRISCO, Texas – North Texas SC visits Los Angeles Football Club 2 for the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season opener on Sunday, March 26 at 7PM at Titan Stadium in Cal State Fullerton.
How to Watch
The match will kick off at 7:03PM on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with James Hadnot calling the match.
Match Overview
NTX Record: 10-5-4 (35 points – 4th in West) 2022 season
LAFC record: First MLS NP season
NTX vs. LAFC all-time: First ever meeting
STORY LINES
THE JAVIER CANO ERA
North Texas SC appointed Javier Cano as the club’s new head coach on January 11. He is the third head coach in the history of the club. This match versus LAFC2 will be his first official game in charge. During the preseason, Javier posted a 3-1-1 record, defeating Sporting KC II, SMU and DKSC. The club also appointed assistant head coach John Gall and goalkeeper coach Kyle Zobeck during the offseason. The trio joins assistant coach Michel Garbini who has been at the club since the first season in 2019.
ROSTER BUILD UP
During the offseason North Texas SC signed nine players for the upcoming MLS NEXT Pro season. Those nine joined returning players Alejandro Araneda, Hope Avayevu, André Costa, Carl Sainté and Pablo Torre. FC Dallas Academy player’s Jared Aguilar, Julian Eyestone, Santiago Ferreira, Diego Hernandez, Malachi Molina, Diego Pepi and Anthony Ramirez will be in the mix for the upcoming season. Aguilar, Eyestone and Ferreira saw minutes for North Texas’ during the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro campaign. Diego Hernandez made his North Texas SC on July 25, 2020, in a 2-1 win over Forward Madison in USL League One play. Antonio Carrera, Herbert Endeley, Bernard Kamungo, Amet Korça, José Mulato and Nolan Norris are the FC Dallas players that will get some minutes with North Texas throughout this season.
RECORD AGAINST NEW FOES
Since joining MLS NEXT Pro, North Texas SC holds a 7-2-1 record when facing new opponents for the first time. During the 10 games North Texas scored 18 goals and conceded nine. The club will be facing for the first time ever Los Angeles Football Club 2 this Sunday, LA Galaxy II on April 2 and Austin FC II on April 12. Meaning North Texas will face the new three club within the first four matches of the season.
GET TO KNOW LOS ANGELES FOOTBALL CLUB 2
Los Angeles Football Club 2 will be participating in MLS NEXT Pro for the first time in their history. They are one of the seven clubs that have joined bringing the total to 27 clubs. The LA club will play their home games at Titan Stadium in Cal Fullerton State. LAFC2 appointed Enrique Duran as their head coach on January 25. On December 22, LAFC2 announced the signing of its first ever player by signing Academy product Christopher Jaime.
Roster
Name | Position | Number |
|---|---|---|
Jared Aguilar º | Midfielder | 48 |
Alejandro Araneda | Defender | 20 |
Hope Avayevu | Forward | 10 |
Manuel Caicedo | Defender | 5 |
Antonio Carrera ^ | Goalkeeper | 13 |
André Costa | Midfielder | 11 |
Herbert Endeley ^ | Midfielder | 28 |
Julian Eyestone ° | Goalkeeper | 1 |
Santiago Ferreira ° | Midfielder | 68 |
Diego García | Midfielder | 50 |
Theo Henrique Ferreira | Midfielder | 8 |
Diego Hernandez ° | Midfielder | 36 |
Amet Korça ^ | Defender | 24 |
José Mulato ^ | Forward | 21 |
Malachi Molina ° | Defender | 31 |
Nolan Norris ^ | Defender | 32 |
Yeicar Perlaza | Defender | 7 |
Diego Pepi ° | Forward | 16 |
Tomas Pondeca | Midfielder | 27 |
Anthony Ramirez ° | Midfielder | 51 |
Tyshawn Rose | Defender | 12 |
Henri Santos | Defender | 3 |
Carl Sainté | Midfielder | 18 |
Justin Stewart | Goalkeeper | 42 |
Pablo Torre | Forward | 9 |
Alejandro Urzua | Midfielder | 80 |
Michael Webber | Goalkeeper | 29 |
^ - FC Dallas
° - FC Dallas Academy
