Orange County have started well in 2024. Through five games, they are currently tied for first in the Western Conference and remain unbeaten. While an argument could be made that OC have gone up against a very easy schedule this far, that point will be rendered void after Saturday’s match.
This week sees Orange County SC take on San Antonio FC. It’s become a budding rivalry in the last couple of years. Both teams have found success in recent memory, and quite a few of their matches have been high stakes affairs. This time is no different: both teams currently sit within the top five in the West, both look to be in the mix for a USL title at the end of the year.
OC have named a number of different starting lineups to accommodate for a string of early season injuries, but the results keep coming. Photo courtesy of Orange County SC
THE OPPONENT - SAN ANTONIO FC
San Antonio retained just seven players from their 2023 campaign. Just two players from their title-winning season remain. This is not to say that San Antonio is going to be a worse team from last season, however they did lose a number of significant names, including Jordan Farr, PC and Connor Maloney. But with departures come arrivals. The most notable of the new faces is Juan Agudelo. Agudelo is something of a journeyman of American soccer, with San Antonio FC being his 7th professional team in the United States. Agudelo also has 28 caps for the USMNT.
Through their first five matches, it’s been a mixed, but positive start to 2024: they are 2-1-2, with their only blemish coming against a much improved Las Vegas side.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
The main man for San Antonio is Mitchell Taintor. Taintor is the 2022 USL Defender of the Year, 2023 USL-All League, and is one of those two players that is still with the club from the title winning season. He has been a bit of a thorn in the side of OCSC (editor’s note: and in the face of Marc McNulty) in his stints with both San Antonio FC as well as Sacramento Republic FC. The most fun fact about Taintor is that he has only played one game in the MLS with Toronto FC yet was able to score a goal in his one appearance. Not bad for a defender.
On the orange side of things, we are looking at the all-time leader for OC in wins and clean sheets. Colin Shutler is perhaps one of the bigger stories to the success of Orange County in recent memory. While originally brought on as a backup, Shutler has rightfully earned the starting keeper spot for OC, and only in two seasons has he already been the most successful goalkeeper for OCSC.
This season is looking to be another fruitful one as Shutler is currently tied for the league lead in clean sheets, while second in goals allowed. The 25-year old netminder has found a home in Orange County and will be integral to the success of Orange County in 2024 and beyond.
Shutler, OC’s second-highest goalscorer at the time of writing, passing the ball in Memphis on April 6th. Photo courtesy of Orange County SC
THE MATCH UP
This has regularly been a heavyweight bout. In regular season match ups, these two sides have put a perfect split. In 12 regular season games both teams are an even 4-4-4. In the one playoff game between the two sides, OC advanced on penalties in the 2021 USL Western Conference final.
If OC were to take all three points in San Antonio,then it would tie the mark for the best start in club history through six games.
WHAT TO KNOW
Game - @ San Antonio FC (USL Championship)
When - April 13, 5:30 PM PST
Where - Toyota Field (San Antonio, TX)
OCSC Form - WWDWD
SA Form - LWWDD
All-Time Matchup - 4-4-4
TV - KCAL 9, ESPN+