Ventura County FC seeks 53-point payoff against LAFC 2

Ventura County FC will attempt to convert its 53-point regular season record into a conference title when it hosts LAFC 2 on Friday.

The match serves as the Western Conference final for MLS Next Pro. The winner will advance to the league championship game.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson. Admission is free for fans attending the event.

The rivalry between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles FC extends beyond the top tier of Major League Soccer. Both clubs maintain competitive tension at the academy and second team levels.

The two squads have met three times during the 2026 campaign. LAFC 2 secured a 3-2 victory on May 16. Ventura County FC responded with a 2-0 shutout on July 18. The teams split the final meeting on Sept. 5 in a 1-1 draw.

Ventura County FC finished third in the Western Conference standings. LAFC 2 placed sixth with 45 points. The LAFC side advanced to the final after defeating the Houston Dynamo 2 and Austin FC 2.

Tommy Mihalic leads LAFC 2 in scoring with nine goals this season.

Ventura County FC coach Matt Taylor noted that the team has relied on youth. In the previous round, eight of the 11 players on the field came through the Galaxy Academy. That group includes defender Riley Delgado.

"I think it's going to be a crazy game," Delgado said. "Our mentality is that we're going to win. It's a win or go home. A big one for us. Not many of us have played LAFC in a Western Conference final, so it's gonna be a big one."

Taylor described the LAFC 2 squad as aggressive and organized. He emphasized the need for his players to balance the emotional weight of the derby with tactical discipline.

"They're a good team. We know that they're aggressive, they got some good pieces in there," Taylor said. "There's going to be some emotion, there's an emotional part of the game and I think that's the message to the guys is how we balance that, playing within ourselves, making sure that we're staying the course, at the same time understanding that it is a derby and it is a Western Conference final."

Taylor said the team has worked to build chemistry between academy graduates and external signings. He described the process as a multi-year effort to create a competitive culture where young players can develop while contributing to immediate results.