OC Blues to face former CdM standout
There’s a good chance the Orange County Blues FC will see Jack McBean for the second time in two weeks.
McBean, a former Corona del Mar High standout, plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy II, the OC Blues’ opponent Friday at StubHub Center at 7:30 p.m. McBean has spent most of his time with the Galaxy II, the Galaxy’s reserve team that competes in the United Soccer League, the third tier of professional soccer in the U.S.
McBean hasn’t made an appearance with the top club this year. With the Galaxy II, he has started 10 of 13 matches, recording one goal and four assists.
Since signing a professional contract as a 16-year-old 4 1/2 years ago, McBean hasn’t really had a chance to do much with the Galaxy, except for two years ago, when he started seven of the 15 matches he played in. The Galaxy signed McBean, a sophomore at the time, to a homegrown player contract, and while he has been a member of three of the Galaxy’s MLS Cup championship teams, the striker hasn’t played a minute this year or last year with the first team.
However, McBean has seen his share of time with the Galaxy II this season, logging 941 minutes, the fifth most on the team. Two of the players ahead of McBean are defenders and another is the goalkeeper.
The 20-year-old found some success against the OC Blues on June 6 at UC Irvine. In front of 3,000 fans, the largest crowd to see the OC Blues at Anteater Stadium, McBean assisted on the match’s first goal. The Galaxy II went on to win, 2-1, marking the club’s sixth win in seven matches.
The Galaxy II has owned the OC Blues since entering the USL last season, winning all five matchups. The OC Blues enter the second contest this year against the Galaxy II having dropped two of their past three matches, only earning a point with a 1-1 tie against the Seattle Sounders FC 2 on May 30.
Going into Wednesday, the OC Blues were in seventh place in the Western Conference at 5-4-1 with 16 points, one point away from the last playoff spot. The top six teams in the Western and Eastern conferences earn postseason berths.
Almost at the halfway point of the regular season, the OC Blues and Galaxy II look to move up in the standings. The Western Conference standings have the Galaxy II in third with a record of 7-5-1 and 22 points. The OC Blues and Galaxy II will also see each other on July 16 at StubHub Center and at Anteater Stadium on Sept. 5.
McBean hasn’t produced a goal against the OC Blues in five matches. Last season, his first with the Galaxy II, he experienced a long scoring drought, going almost four months without finding the back of the net. McBean ended it in the regular-season finale, scoring twice against eventual champion Sacramento Republic FC, giving him his second two-goal performance.
In 26 matches, 16 of which he started, McBean finished with five goals and six assists last year. He’s two assists away from matching last year’s total, four in the goals department.
McBean will have his work cut out for him on Friday. He and the Galaxy II face one of the better defensive teams. The OC Blues have only allowed 10 goals, tied for the second fewest in the USL.