WIth their 8th straight victory comes another reminder that Orange County SC are the team to beat. It was a relaxing win for Orange County over the last place Las Vegas Lights that came on an unusually cold desert night. It was another dominant offensive performance that saw five different goal-scorers for the Orange and Black.
FIRST HALF
It was the typical lineup for Orange County with only one change coming since their 2-0 victory over Sacramento Republic. That one change would be the obvious return to action for Milan Iloski who was coming back from a one-game suspension. He would come in place for Bryce Jamison in the lineup and would waste no time at all in returning back to his goal scoring ways with a strike in the 13th minute. After forcing a turnover in the offensive third, the ball would find Doghman at the edge of the 18 who would slot it to Milan who in typical Milan fashion took one step to his right and found the back post. 1-0 Orange County.
Surprisingly this was against the run of play as a couple of shaky moments in the back almost cost OC. Shutler would come up big twice with saves from shots outside the 18. With the early weather being stormed, it would only take OC 9 minutes to find their second. Brian Iloski would play in Thomas Amang who neatly chipped the ball over Vegas keeper Leo Diaz for his 7th of the season. This would end up being the match winner. To really put the foot on the back of Vegas, Captain Nakkim would head home the third of the night off a set piece from right back Owen Lambe.
At this point in the game, one would have to feel for Las Vegas. It has been a terrible season to put it bluntly for the Lights. By September, Las Vegas sits dead last in the entire USL and ranks last in the West in both goals scored AND goals allowed. That is not to say that they do not have good players. There are a number of promising young players like midfielder Danny Rios and some USL veterans like Andrew Carleton and defender Zach Carroll. Many of their games, even if they end in defeat, have been relatively close. To this point in the season, their worst loss was only 3 goals. Unlike Owen Lambe’s trend, the close game trend would not continue tonight.
There were a few more chances for Orange County that would require saves from the Vegas keeper. Milan Iloski nearly added his second of the night in the dying moments of first-half stoppage time.
Besides that it was a textbook half for Orange County playing in an opposing environment. It might seem crazy to think about but Orange County had not won a game at Cashman field since the 2021 season. The possession was actually split between the two sides but Orange County were able to capitalize more with their increased number of chances. By halftime it is 3-0 in favor of the Oranges.
SECOND HALF
The second half would start off in a similar manner as the first with Orange County continuing a sustained pressure. Milan Iloski would put his head on the end of a Seth Casiple cross that would require a very good save from Diaz in what would be his best moment of the night. A minute later the older Iloski brother Brian would also have his shot saved by Diaz in the 52nd minute. With Diaz providing his best save of the night on a Milan Iloski header, Colin Shutler would return the favor with a sprawling save on a Andres Jimenez shot from outside the 18.
Morten Karlsen would make his first substitutions of the night with three changes coming in the 61st minute as coming out of the game was Dillon Powers, Kyle Scott, and Thomas Amang. Coming in for the trio would be that of Andrew Fox, Kevin Lankford, and Marc McNulty in that order. This would be a very good substitution with each of them having an impact on the game.
The aforementioned Daniel Rios would get on the scoresheet in the 69th minute as part of a nice passing sequence that finished with a well-timed chip to the back post that barely squeaked in. That goal continued Rios’s quality run of form with his fourth goal in 3 games. The score would also end OC’s shutout streak which stretched to 420 minutes of perfect defense.
Karlsen’s next subs would come in the 73rd and 78th minutes. In the 73rd, Brian Iloski would make way for Brent Richard while the latter sub saw Ben Norris come on for Seth Casiple. 5 minutes later would see OC score their fourth goal of the night and a pretty good one at that. New entry into the game Andrew Fox would get the ball near the halfline, ping the ball downfield to newly entered Kevin Lankford, who would head the ball across the face of goal where the third new entry Marc McNulty would head it in. That team-goal would get a worthy sequel when in the 89th minute Milan would pass to Sparky who would find Lankford in the middle of the box who would dribble past the keeper. He would walk in OC’s fifth of the game and his first for Orange County SC.
OVERVIEW
This game would ultimately result in a 5-1 victory for the visitors in Vegas. It became the 8th straight victory for OC and they would do it with the offense exploding. While it was not the most impressive win of the win streak it was nonetheless a fun one to watch. Orange County’s five goals is a season high as well as the four goal difference being their biggest margin of victory.
In an already memorable season there was a bit of everything for OC fans to be happy about this game. Of the five goals scored, one added to Milan’s golden boot chase, one came off of a set piece, and three came as a result of good teamplay. Kevin Lankford scored his first for Orange County. Colin Shutler even had a pair of quality saves. It even had an appearance from Benjamin Norris who is only 17.
Next week, the USL’s best in-form returns back to Southern California where they will face off against El Paso Locomotive FC, a team who is clinging onto the last playoff spot in the West. They are not doing as well as some other teams. They have only won once in their last twelve games and in two of those games conceded five. Orange County will face El Paso on Saturday the 9th.