Graduation Type Game to Kick Off Summer
Orange County looked like the team that everyone believed they were going to be in their 3-0 win at El Paso exactly two weeks ago. In one game they got their first away win of the year, their first clean sheet, and did so against the second best team in the Western Conference.
Everything that could go right did go right for OC and Colin Shutler was not forced to make too many noteworthy saves which was a very encouraging sign to the state of the defensive line. Zubak got himself a brace as well and OC looked like a team that belonged in the top half of the table.
It almost comes as a negative that OC got a week off last week but they return home to Southern California and will play in a competition that they are realistically eliminated from.
So it is not that outrageous to believe that we will see a very different lineup take the field against Sacramento. This game does not count towards the regular season and the only way that Orange County SC will have a chance of advancing, among many requirements, will be getting a +8 goal differential in their last two group stage games. High chance that will not happen so this match does not have much importance for Orange County’s sake.
THE OPPONENT - SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC
The same thing cannot be said about Sacramento who are group leaders of Group A after two wins with this being the third game of the group for both teams. Sacramento have not had a good regular season by their standards so the USL Cup is still in play for them. They are coming off wins against AV Alta FC and a 4-0 smacking of Las Vegas who are second in the group. The winner of the group is going to be either Sacramento or Monterey Bay who are both 2-0 in the group but do not play one another. After Saturday, Sacramento will travel back to Northern California and face off against Spokane Velocity FC. Monterey Bay have to travel to both Oakland and Lancaster in their final two games.
Sacramento have yet to concede a goal in the tournament and OC are looking to play spoiler. They are still in the first year of head coach Neill Collins’ tenure and the pressure is starting to mount. In regular season play, Sacramento sit 8th in the West but only at 17 points which is only 3 points ahead of last place Lexington who have 14 points.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sacramento recently had a player make league history. With their 2-0 win last week against Rhode Island in the USL, goalkeeper Danny Vitiello became just the 3rd keeper in USL Championship history to register 50 career clean sheets. Vitiello has made Sacramento his fourth USL team but has been with the Republic since 2021. Danny has yet to make an appearance in the USL Cup but with Sacramento needing to keep pace then they might use their starting keeper.
On the orange side of things, the club has begun its first round of in season transfers and have brought in the first signing of the 2025 season. Hailing from Scotland, Orange County SC signed midfielder Stephen Kelly for the remainder of the regular season. Kelly spent last season with Livingston FC and was a pivotal factor in seeing them secure promotion to the Scottish Premiership. In 113 career appearances with Livingston he registered 15 goals and 10 assists. A free kick specialist as well, Kelly is set to make his Orange County debut on Saturday.
PREDICTED STARTING XI
Nathan’s starting 11 vs Republic in USL Cup Game 3
It is a very strange schedule for Orange County. After today, Orange County will have to go back on the road for a pair of weekday games. It begins with a short week and cross country flight to Virginia to take on the very good Loudoun United FC on Thursday July 3rd. Then they get another weekday game on Friday July 11th at Monterey Bay FC. By the time that Orange County comes back home on July 19th for a regular season matchup, it will be the first home league game in eight weeks. Two whole months. In saying this, expect a younger lineup on Saturday.
I wanted to put Kelly in the midfield but we do not know what number he is quite yet. Likewise the biggest change will be in the net when I believe Tetsuya Kadono will be making his first career appearance for Orange County SC. The offensive four will be all younger players and Guimaraes will slot in at left back.
THE MATCHUP
This is the second time that Orange County will play Sacramento in 2025 and at home. The first time that these two teams met saw Orange County win over Sacramento thanks in part to a pair of own goals. The Orange County-Sacramento rivalry has seen the third most matches played only behind OC-Phoenix and the defunct OC-LA Galaxy II matchup. But unlike the other two rivalries, Orange County has the upper hand over Sacramento overall as well as in recent memory. This does include the only other time that these two teams have met in a tournament game when the 8th seeded Orange County Blues FC upset the 1st seed Sacramento in the 2016 conference quarterfinals in a shootout. Orange County are looking to win consecutive games for the first time in 2025.
WHAT TO KNOW
Game - vs Sacramento Republic FC (USL Jägermeister Cup Group Stage)
When - June 28th, 7:00 PM PST
Where - Championship Soccer Stadium (Irvine, CA)
OCSC Form - WLLWL
SAC Form - WLDLW
All-Time Series - 12-6-11 (29 Matchups)
TV - ESPN+