Galaxy forward Ariel Lassiter looking to grow from Tuesday’s preseason opener

With forwards Giovani dos Santos (international call-up) and Gyasi Zardes (knee) not available for Tuesday’s preseason friendly against Club Tijuana, the Galaxy turned to the “kids” at the starting forward positions.

Temecula’s Ariel Lassiter, 22, and Newport Beach’s Jack McBean,22, both started at forward and went the first 45 minutes.

It was fitting that both Lassiter and McBean opened the preseason in the starting lineup. They’re both in seemingly the same position as the season approaches. The Galaxy will be looking for someone to pick up the slack from the departure of Alan Gordon, Robbie Keane and Mike Magee.

Forwards Giovani dos Santos and Gyasi Zardes will carry the brunt of the offense, but if both are taken away for national team duty, then opportunities will be there for Lassiter and McBean to pick up the slack.

“It was OK,” Lassiter said of his performance Tuesday. “I would have liked to get more chances on the ball, but I think that’s all part of preseason and all a part of us being on the pitch for the first together and getting chemistry together and just being able to find each other in the right spots. I’m sure we will and I think toward the end of the first half, the first group, we started get a little bit of a rhythm. I think against San Jose it will be better.

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