The Town FC erupted in the second half, scoring three goals to put the match out of reach. Midfielder Beau Leroux (left) scored his first two goals of the season to cap off the night.
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — A season-high four goals and a defensive clean sheet sealed The Town FC’s exhilarating victory over Ventura County FC at William Rolland Stadium on Sunday.
The 4-0 blowout included multiple first-time occurrences for The Town (7-5-6, 30 points), which exerted its goal-scoring prowess and defensive solidity from start to finish. The win capped off an undefeated July in which TTFC went 3-0-1 while gaining crucial ground in the Western Conference.
The result marked the first time The Town defeated Ventura County (6-5-8, 33 points) this season following a 2-1 loss on March 17 and a 6-5 shootout defeat after a 3-3 regulation outcome on June 30.
The Town FC’s offensive storm kicked off in the 28th minute when defender Casey Walls tallied his first goal of the season off an assist from defender Aaron Edwards — who sent a well-placed, dangerous cross into the box — to swing the momentum in the Bay Area side’s direction. Edwards’ four assists lead the team.
Midfielder Joel Garcia exited the match with an apparent wrist injury in the 37th minute that has yet to be confirmed by the team.
The rest of the first half displayed TTFC’s stoutness in the defending third. Coming out of halftime, however, The Town FC was eager to extend its lead and took advantage of Ventura County FC’s defense to put the game out of reach.
In the 51st minute, Edwards doubled The Town’s lead off a cerebral assist from midfielder Edwyn Mendoza. The pass caught Edwards in his stride, and using the fruitful daylight, the 21-year-old beat goalkeeper Brady Scott for the score. In addition to leading the team in assists, Edwards’ fourth goal makes him a co-leader in scoring.
Eventual Man of the Match, midfielder Beau Leroux catalyzed the rest of The Town FC’s offensive effort in the second half. The former San Jose State player notched his first two career MLS NEXT Pro goals, showing his true breakout potential as a 2024 MLS SuperDraft second-round pick.
Leroux’s first goal arrived in the 69th minute off a rocket well beyond the top of the 18-yard box, showing his pure shot strength and accuracy. With Leroux and Walls’ first goals, The Town FC has now seen 12 different players score this season.
The Town FC’s goal-scoring flurry ended in the 87th minute with Leroux receiving an opportunistic feed in the box and scoring from point-blank range. Edwards recorded his second assist of the night on the play.
The match featured season debuts from two Quakes Academy products, who both represented the club in the MLS NEXT All-Star Game on July 23. Midfielder Rohan Rajagopal saw limited MLS NEXT Pro action in 2023 but was called in on Sunday for the first time amid the large victory, while forward Tomo Allen suited up for the first time as a member of TTFC.
Goalkeeper David Sweeney remained unbeaten by registering his second clean sheet. Sweeney made four saves and surely appreciated his team’s back line that severely limited Ventura County’s offensive efforts.
With 12 goals in the last five games, The Town FC’s scoring ability has ignited the team to an upward spike in the Western Conference standings. Once a team that thrived off defensive performances with limited offense, The Town has become well-rounded and is gaining steam at the right time.
The victory moves TTFC into a three-way tie with Los Angeles FC 2 (8-6-4, 30 points) and Tacoma Defiance (9-7-2, 30 points) for fifth place.
Next, The Town FC will begin the new month by returning home and facing Portland Timbers2 (5-6-8, 26 points) on Aug. 4. August will feature three home matches for TTFC, in which the team will aim to remain unbeaten on home turf.
The Town FC was victorious in the teams’ first matchup on March 22. But like TTFC, Portland has been successful in its recent matches, so the Moraga-based club will aim for another positive head-to-head result.
The battle will kick off from Saint Mary’s Stadium at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
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MATCH INFORMATION
2024 MLS NEXT Pro Season
Ventura County FC 0 – 4 The Town FC
William Rolland Stadium
Sunday, July 28, 2024
Scoring Summary:
TTFC (0-1) – C. Walls 28’
TTFC (0-2) – A. Edwards 51’
TTFC (0-3) – B. Leroux 69’
TTFC (0-4) – B. Leroux 87’
Misconduct Summary:
TTFC – E. Mendoza (Caution) 64’
VCFC – E. Hernandez (Caution) 67’
Ventura County FC: B. Scott (GK, C), C. Tchouante (E. Hernandez – 60’), J. Magana, A. Essengue, R. Dalgado, G. Arnold, D. Lopez (N. Schelotto – 88’), H. Miller, D. Díaz (S. Villalpando – 78’), A. Bibout (J. Corona – 78’), S. Karani (D. Vanney – 78’)
Substitutes not used: O. Pratt, V. Casillas, C. Diaz, E. Martinez
SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 4; FOULS: 12; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 6
The Town FC: D. Sweeney (GK), J. Garcia (S. Bilter – 38’), R. Ibarra, A. Cano, C. Walls, W. Eisner (R. Ibarra – 69’), E. Blancas (C), E. Mendoza (R. Rajagopal – 81’), B. Leroux, A. Edwards, J. Donnery (T. Allen – 81’), R. Lynch (R. Tsunehara – 81’)
Substitutes not used: J. Spivey, M. Guerra
SHOTS: 19; SHOTS ON GOAL: 10; FOULS: 8; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4