Based in Loudoun County, Virginia, Loudoun United FC was founded in 2018 as the reserve team for MLS club D.C. United. Loudoun head coach Ryan Martin used to oversee youth development at D.C. United and has also served as an assistant coach with FC Cincinnati.
Loudoun has a record of 3W-6L-2D in USL Championship play in 2024. The Red & White broke a five-match winless streak with a home victory over Monterey Bay, 3-0, on Saturday May 18.
This is Loudoun’s second trip to California this year for a U.S. Open Cup match. In the Round of 32, the Red & White defeated Orange County SC, 2-1, in Irvine.
LAFC and Loudoun are both in their seventh seasons of play, and both clubs have a French goalkeeper named Hugo. LAFC’s Hugo Lloris, who won the World Cup with France in 2018, will oppose Loudoun United keeper Hugo Fauroux, a 27-year-old Cannes native who played collegiate soccer in the U.S. at Lake Erie College and Florida International.
Former Stanford All American and New York Red Bulls homegrown Zach Ryan leads Loudoun in goals in USL play, with three. Forward Kalil ElMedkhar, 24, made 11 appearances for FC Dallas in 2021-22, where he was a teammate of Ryan Hollingshead.
Midfielder-defender Kwame Awuah, 28, was drafted by NYCFC and made a few appearances for its senior team in 2017 and 2018, alongside current LAFC defender Maxime Chanot.
