Orange County SC hosted the Oakland Roots SC for a mid-week match-up this Wednesday. After a four-game slump, OCSC bounced back hugely, winning 3-1, clinching their playoff spot, and boosting momentum as the end of the season approaches.
FIRST HALF:
Everything looked positive as the opening whistle blew, and Orange County controlled the pace of play early on. A key element to their success this season has been their midfield possession and ability to create chances in the opponents' final third.
Milan Iloski almost had a perfect opportunity in the box to open the scoreline early. It was a fantastic build-up for the team from box to box; Kyle Scott was crucial in moving the ball forward through the middle and got to Seth Casiple, who sent a chip pass right to Milan. Milan got taken down in the box from contact at his back, which looked to be a penalty, but the referee said play on, and Orange County missed their first chance at goal.
In this beautiful and frustrating game, all it takes is one moment to change everything, and in the 11th minute, Oakland took the defense by surprise. Despite OCSC looking strong, a long ball sent into OC’s box met the head of Neveal Hackshaw and went center, and a first-touch shot from Anuar Pelaez found the back of the net. Oakland Roots leading 1-0.
Orange County tried to equalize early with a beautiful pass to Milan, who was wide open near the 18-yard line, but the Oakland defense blocked his shot.
Even after going down by one so early, it was obvious that the boys in orange were not giving up. They retained absolute dominance over Oakland in the midfield with masterclass passing between the whole team. The chemistry between Kevin Partida, Casiple, and Scott gave Orange County a fantastic forward drive up the pitch that seemed inevitable to result in a scoring opportunity.
It almost happened in the 36th minute after a cross from Brian got to his brother. Milan headed the ball toward the center of the box and Thomas Amang was in a perfect position to score, but his strike was slightly off the mark, and the shot went wide.
Another frustrating non-call in the box happened as Milan sent a pass over the heads of the Oakland defense to Amang. He collected the pass, and what looked like contact in the back of his leg brought him to the ground, but the referee signaled it was clean, and the game continued.
Comeuppance finally came at the start of added time, however, and a sloppy tackle from Lindo Mfeka brought down Brian in the box, earning Orange County the PK. Milan took a textbook penalty shot that found the low corner of the net to tie things at 1-1 before the half ended.
But wait, Orange County SC was not satisfied ending the half at a draw. A corner kick sent in by Owen Lambe went right over the hands of goalkeeper Paul Blanchette, and Amang was waiting on the other side with a header that rocketed into an open net and gave his team a 2-1 lead.
SECOND HALF:
Orange County SC was eager to secure another goal early in the second half with some impressive high press on Oakland's side of the pitch. This strategy accumulated in a brilliant counterattack as Scott won the ball back at the half-line and sent a pass forward to Milan, who attempted to dribble through two defenders. He was unsuccessful in his attempt, but his brother was there for backup and took a strike on the loose ball outside the box. Brian sent a masterful shot soaring past Blanchette, who was caught completely off guard. Orange County netted three goals in ten minutes of play and earned a sizeable lead.
They almost got another goal after a counter-opportunity when Scott won the ball after an Oakland corner. He was able to fly up the field with no opposition and Amang to his left. They did a quick pass between each other at the top of the box, and Scott attempted a shot, but Blanchette stopped it, keeping it 3-1 OCSC.
The pressure continued, and a long ball up the field, paired with a mistake from the Oakland defender, gave Amang the ball at a dangerous spot. He passed to Milan, who sent in a powerful shot, but Blanchette made another spectacular save.
In the 63rd minute, Oakland tried to strike back and give themselves some momentum to catch up when, ten yards outside the box, Napo Matsoso sent a rocket toward the near post that would have squeezed into the net if Colin Shutler hadn't made a beautiful diving save.
Although the heroes of this match were undoubtedly Orange County’s midfield, the defensive work from Dillon Powers and Markus Nakkim was absolutely crucial in shutting down Oakland's few attacking moments. Shutler had that one colossal save, but other than that, the center-backs kept the ball away from danger anytime the ball came near and were critical in giving Orange County all three points once the final whistle blew.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Before Wednesday’s match even began, Orange County clinched their playoff spot thanks to RGV FC drawing against Hartford earlier in the day. But it's been clear since Morten Karlsen took over as head coach that a simple playoff spot is not enough for this team. They want to get into the top four to secure a home playoff match.
This Saturday, October 7th, will be huge in reaching their goal as they have a rematch against San Antonio FC. They played a couple of weeks ago and got destroyed, but this time, OCSC will be coming off a big win and will be at home, so their destiny is in their hands.