The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) announced today its opening day roster ahead of the first-ever match in Club history. LAFC kicks off their inaugural 2018 Major League Soccer campaign on the road against Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday, March 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. PT on ESPN. The match will also be broadcast live on ESPNLA 710 AM (English) and KFWB 980 AM ‘La Mera La Mera’ (Spanish).
The Club also announced the acquisitions of goalkeeper Charlie Lyon and midfielder James Murphy. Murphy will be added to the Club’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC). With the two additions, LAFC’s roster currently stands at 22 players.
In 2017, Lyon registered seven clean sheets in 31 contests (all starts) for LAFC affiliate Orange County Soccer Club of USL. Lyon spent the previous two campaigns on loan with Sounders 2, making 41 appearances, while helping the club reach the USL Cup Playoffs in 2015.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper originally joined Seattle Sounders FC after being selected in the fourth round (75th overall) of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft out of Marquette University. A four-year starter for the Golden Eagles, Lyon was the co-recipient of the 2014 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year Award after recording nine shutouts in 18 matches with a 0.74 goals against average. In all, Lyon registered 29 career shutouts in 63 contests for Marquette.
During the 2017-18 campaign, Murphy started every match he appeared in for Wednesday’s U-23 side, tallying two goals in 19 contests. The 5-foot-11 midfielder spent his entire youth career with Players Development Academy (PDA) in New Jersey prior to signing his first professional contract with the Owls on July 1, 2016.
A native of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Murphy has been involved with the USMNT since 2010, initially earning a call-up to the U-14 team. In 2015, he was named to the U-20 roster that competed at the Stevan Vilotic Tournament in Serbia and the Four Nations Tournament in Germany.
LAFC 2018 INAUGURAL ROSTER
Goalkeepers (3): Luis López, Charlie Lyon, Tyler Miller.
Defenders (8): Steven Beitashour, Tristan Blackmon, Laurent Ciman, Omar Gaber, Jordan Harvey, Dejan Jaković, João Moutinho, Walker Zimmerman.
Midfielders (6): Eduard Atuesta, Benny Feilhaber, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Aaron Kovar, Calum Mallace, James Murphy.
Forwards (5): Latif Blessing, Rodrigo Pacheco, Diego Rossi, Marco Ureña, Carlos Vela.
