Orange County SC opened up their 2026 regular season with a 1-1 draw against Las Vegas on Saturday night.
FIRST HALF
Tyson Espy earned a starting spot alongside captain Tom Brewitt at the heart of the defense. The teenager hardly put a foot wrong all night. Photo courtesy of Liza Rosales / Orange County SC
The first starting XI of the season did have a fair share of wrinkles to it. As expected, OC would come out with the standard 4-4-2 formation with the outside defensive backs going up for added offense down the wings. Alex Rando would get the start in goal behind a back line of Doghman, Espy, Brewitt and War. Tyson Espy, the 16-year-old, would make his first league start after signing his first professional contract during the off season. (He had been a part of the OC academy previously). The midfield was made up of Hegardt, Kelly, Benalcazar and Palomino. Jamir Johnson and Lyam MacKinnon started up top.
Orange County SC started off the match controlling the flow of the game. When OC had the ball, they went wide with it and would attack the Las Vegas outside backs. But despite all the possession, it would actually be Ben Mines of Las Vegas with the first good chance on goal, which was saved by Rando.
OC soon thereafter earned a free kick from a dangerous spot that Stephen Kelly commanded, but his effort went inches wide.
In the 22nd minute, going down the right side of the pitch, Lyam MacKinnon got on the end of a perfect through ball from Marcelo Palomino and struck towards goal. His shot would get a helping deflection from defender Nate Jones, but nonetheless, it found the back of the net and gave OC the lead.
The rest of the first half would not be that much more exciting. Las Vegas’s Carson Locker was cautioned in the 34th minute after a heavy tackle. OC, defensively in the first half did pretty well containing Johnny Rodriguez in the middle as well as covering the right flank, doing enough to enter the half up 1-0.
SECOND HALF
The tide turned. Las Vegas controlled the ball and the flow of the game for extended periods of time and OC let them, deciding to play in a low block rather than pressing. Two experienced players came on, with Ethan Zubak on for Jamir Johnson and Kevin Partida replacing Tyson Espy just before the hour mark. With the change, Nico Benalcazar dropped back to the center back position.
Whenever Las Vegas was able to get the ball into the final third, it nearly always came down the right side of the field. Still, the visitors struggled to finish chances. The first shot of the second half did not come until Las Vegas’s Christian Pinzon skied his effort in the 70th minute. Not long after, Nicola Ciotta replaced Palomino in another defensive minded substitution. Ciotta is another young player for OC with a very high ceiling. Ciotta would go to his natural right back position, and War filled the void where Palomino was.
But Las Vegas kept coming. In the 84th minute, a Pinzon cross from the right side would glance off Las Vegas substitute Nighte Pickering and in at the back post. Looking to re-establish the lead, OC brought on forward Yaniv Bazini for Hegardt, their last substitution for the game. Rando made one more save in the 90th minute, but neither team truly threatened to score a second before full-time.
OVERVIEW
Orange County’s opening match could easily be described as “pedestrian.” They were able to get a goal within the first half hour of play, however, that goal would be the only shot on goal for OC the entire game. This is not even saying that Las Vegas was that impressive either. There were long stretches of play with the ball being fought over in the midfield in the first half. Las Vegas only had more possession because of OC’s low block during the second half.
Orange County has the capability to play defensive games, but they will need every offensive chance available.
A player that did stand out to me when he was in was Tyson Espy who did not make many headlines on the field which is good for center backs. In the future, I would like to see how he can do in those low block situations since he was subbed off early in the second half. Next week, Orange County will travel to Phoenix for the first away game of the season.