Nokkvi Thorisson, who figures to see an expanded role in City SC’s offense this season with the departure of Niko Gioacchini, scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute as City SC started the California section of its training camp with a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, on Saturday afternoon.
Thorisson’s goal, finishing a nice pass from Aziel Jackson into the box, gave City SC the victory. City SC has a win and a tie in its two preseason games.
“Nokkvi’s been working hard in the offseason trying to get up to speed,†City SC coach Bradley Carnell said by phone. “Nokkvi’s not a new player, we know what he’s all about. He’s a good finisher, gets himself into good spots. I thought some of his pressing moments were really good. I thought the shapes of both teams were very disciplined and kept compact between the lines. I thought it was a really good exercise for all our attacking players.â€
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Like the 2-2 tie with Nashville last week in Florida, it was another game in which Carnell used entirely different sets of players in each half as they continue to build their fitness. The first-half group included Roman Burki in goal, Tim Parker on the backline and Klauss up top, but Carnell flipped almost the entire squad around them from the first preseason game. (Tomas Ostrak is the only player to be with them in both games; plus, Joakim Nilsson and Eduard Lowen still are away from the team as they go through the process for getting green cards.) Carnell said there was nothing to read into the combinations at this point.
While Carnell flipped his team at the half, the Galaxy kept many of its players on the field to the 60-minute mark before bringing on a collection of young players. City SC’s second half included some of its younger players, including draft picks Hosei Kijima, making his first appearance with the team, and Brendan McSorley along with 16-year-old Caden Glover.
“It was interesting for our second group,†Carnell said. “McSorley and Kijima are a little bit of an unknown, but they came through well. Along with Caden Glover up top, they did themselves really proud and it was a good performance from both groups.â€
Kijima blocked a shot in the 83rd minute to keep the game tied at 1-1 and set the table for Thorisson’s game-winner five minutes later.
“He’s a good two-way player,†Carnell said. “He offers some solutions with the ball and I think (Njabulo) Blom and him combined really well, they helped each other defensively, which is good to form those relationships. It was our first time to see Kijima in our environment in not just training and I thought he did well.â€
New arrival Chris Durkin scored in the 19th minute following a free kick by City SC. Indiana Vassilev’s kick into the box was cleared but the ball came to Durkin just outside the goal box and he lined a shot inside the right post. There was a video review because Parker was in an offside position after the initial shot, but the referee ruled that he wasn’t interfering with the play from where he was.
Los Angeles tied the game in the 53rd minute, and looked as if it had gone ahead in the 73rd minute only to see a foul called on the play to negate a goal.
Jackson and Thorisson don’t really count as veterans but they have more experience than their counterparts up top. Jackson made some nice runs with the ball — once getting fouled by former teammate John Nelson, with both getting yellow cards on the play — and moved well in tight quarters. On the goal, Jackson picked off a pass from Nelson, who City SC chose not to re-sign after its first season, in the Galaxy end and found Thorisson making a well-timed run to score from about 12 yards.
Nikolas Dyhr, who joined the team in camp this week, did not get in the game.
“You know me and preseason results,†Carnell said. “I never want to overvalue them, but it was good to see our principles at work, get the new guys get integrated. Good to see guys in real competitive games. We adopted the principles really well and took it to them in a meaningful way and got the most out of it. A really good exercise.â€
City SC now relocates to the Palm Springs area for exhibition games against Los Angeles FC on Wednesday and New York Red Bulls next Saturday.