Orange County SC defeated rivals Phoenix Rising 2-0 Wednesday night, courtesy of a first half Ethan Zubak brace.
As the visitors dominated the ball, Orange County focused on quickly moving the ball up the pitch. In the seventh minute, OC earned a free kick just outside the Phoenix box. Seth Casiple stood over it, and floated his effort towards the back post. Zubak met it and headed powerfully into the back of the net, past a helpless Rocco Ríos Novo.
Phoenix continued to dominate the ball, but was wasteful near the Orange County box and struggled to create opportunities to shoot.
In the 20th minute, OC passed quickly through the lines down the left flank. After letting his teammates run in, Ryan Doghman fizzed a low cross to the back post. Bryce Jamison shot back towards the near post, but his effort was tipped wide.
OC continued to soak up the pressure, happy to sit in a low block and force Phoenix to pass around in search of an opening. As Phoenix pushed further and further up, they gave Doghman, Cameron Dunbar, and Bryce Jamison plenty of space to run in behind.
Once again against the run of play, OC struck from a set piece in the 39th minute. Zubak was fouled while holding the ball up as OC passed through Phoenix. The ball was struck out wide to the right, where Jamison beat his man and sent a low cross to the front post, where Zubak completed the play with a one-touch effort towards the far post to make it 2-0.
Doghman had a final chance just before the half from a breakaway, but the fullback-turned-winger rifled his shot into the side netting.
OC went into the half up 2-0, comfortable despite the lack of possession.
The second half moved quickly, and OC continued to harry the visitors. Phoenix had the first clear-cut chance just after the hour mark from a set piece. From 30 meters out, almost directly in the middle of the pitch, Charlie Dennis curled a low effort to Colin Shutler’s right side. The goalkeeper was blocked by players from both sides and saw it late, but at full-stretch, he managed to palm the ball out for a corner.
Phoenix still couldn’t capitalize on their dominance of the ball, and OC continued to look comfortable out of possession as time ran on.
Despite a more frantic final few minutes as both sides opened up some, neither side really created a clear-cut chance on goal, and OC held out for their third consecutive clean sheet.
Orange County remain in eighth place despite the result, but opened a small gap between themselves and the teams still chasing a playoff spot. Also, in doing so, OCSC closed the gap to seventh-placed Phoenix Rising to just one point. Five matches remain the 2024 regular season.
Orange County SC is next in action on Saturday, October 5th as they travel to Las Vegas to take on fifth-placed Las Vegas Lights FC.