Octavio Zambrano

Zambrano was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. He was an attacking midfielder and made his professional debut with Unión Deportiva Valdez of the Ecuadorian First Division. He moved to the United States from his native Ecuador in 1980 to attend Chapman University, and later played two seasons with the Los Angeles Lazers in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

United States

In 1990, Zambrano was an assistant coach to Rildo Menezes (Ex-Santos of Brasil and New York Cosmos) with the California Emperors in the American Professional Soccer League. In 1992, he became both the assistant coach with the Los Angeles Salsa of the APSL and head coach of the East Los Angeles Cobras of USISL. He also coached the successful largely ethnic team from Southern California, LA Salsa U-19, a McGuire Cup finalist and was the 1994 USISL Western Division Coach of the Year. Following his work with the LA Salsa Zambrano was hired as director by the Mission Viejo Pateadores, one of the United States Top Soccer Academies. He joined MLS as an assistant for Lothar Osiander with Los Angeles Galaxy reaching the MLS Cup final the first year of the league. Zambrano assumed head coaching duties when Osiander was fired early in the 1997 season. Zambrano's 1997 team went from last in the conference (3–9) to a record of 15–13, finished the season with 6 straight wins and made the playoffs. The 1998 Galaxy went 24 and 8 and broke all MLS scoring records, ending the year with 85 goals scored and a 2.66 goal per game average. The 1998 Galaxy became the first American professional soccer team to make it to a CONCACAF clubs final against Cruz Azul of Mexico. Zambrano coached the Western Division All Star Team and the Galaxy 97/98 achieved the record for most consecutive regular season wins (12). But in the playoffs they faltered, falling to expansion team Chicago…

As a coach

FAS

La Primera: Apertura 2022