SD Loyal signs 19-year-old defender Jackson Kasanzu
Credit: SD Loyal
SD Loyal boost defense with addition of Kasanzu ahead of road trip to Birmingham
The San Diego Loyal are in the midst of a championship run. Sitting in second place in the Western Conference with 49 points, the Loyal are known for being one of the top offensive squads in the USL.
Bringing in a defender at this stage of the season is crucial if you want to continue winning matches. SD has scored 53 goals this season which leads the league, however, they have given up 36 which is near the middle of the pack. Creating chances and scoring goals will continue to happen for manager Landon Donovan’s squad. If they can hold off the other top scoring teams with their ability to defend, then there won’t be anyone who can stop this team.
Jackson Kasanzu
The 19-year-old is a native of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The young defender doesn’t have much professional experience, but is on the USL Championship radar after playing in the USL League Two.
Kasanzu recently played for AFC Ann Arbor of the USL Two starting in seven of eight matches played. He played a total of 640 minutes and helped his team to a (4-2-2) record. The defender is 6-foot-2 153 lbs and will wear number 16 for the Loyal.
“Jackson is a talented young center back with the potential to be very special,” Donovan said. “We are excited to have a player of his caliber join our club.”
Kasanzu should see some minutes as the end of the season approaches but we will see if he gets any action this Saturday against Birmingham Legion FC.
Birmingham Legion FC Preview
The Legion are fighting up the standings in the Eastern Conference. They are (12-6-5) on the season with 41 points and a (+15) goal difference. That places them 5th in the East and could potentially move into 4th place with a win against the Loyal.
Birmingham is one of the better defensive squads in the league and the Loyal are hoping to match that energy moving forward.
“We started working a lot on our defense six weeks ago,” Donovan said. “That is why we are much better on defense. If we want to be champions, we need to keep scoring goals and also be a strong defensive team.”
San Diego is on a 5-match winning streak. They are playing their best ball at the right time and are close to jumping San Antonio FC if they keep up their play.
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This match ahead will not be an easy one as Birmingham has also won five of their last six matches. They dominated Atlanta United II last weekend winning 6-0 at home. The Legion also scored six goals in their previous home match against Loudoun United FC when they won 6-1.
The Loyal have a tough test ahead and will need to be on their game to leave Birmingham with three points.
Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris is also an athlete and is huge fan of San Diego sports. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and contributes regularly about the Padres.