If they’re good enough, they’re old enough… Pedro Guimaraes made it a night to remember as he made his first professional start. Photo courtesy of Orange County SC.
With his second match as the interim head coach, Stone started to make some changes to the lineup and strategy of this squad in the hopes of boosting the club's chances of sneaking into a playoff spot. Most notably, 16-year-old Pedro Guimaraes made his starting debut at left back, which allowed Ryan Doghman to move up the field and play as a winger. Also, Cameron Dunbar moved into the middle, playing as a 10. Each change paid off beautifully in the match, giving each player a new life in their new role.
FIRST HALF:
The strategy seemed clear within the first five minutes: Kyle Scott funneled the ball to either side of the field and took it into the final third for a cross into the box. When Doghman has been healthy and available, this strategy has been the most effective way to play to the squad's strengths, and it was no different on Saturday.
Although the County boys were able to get into the box a handful of times and create some dangerous chances, there wasn't a moment when they really challenged the Rhode Island goalkeeper.
The opponents had the first shot(s) on target in the 18th minute. A fantastic through ball to the right side led Rhode Island into the OC box, and Stephen Turnbull took the first crack at Colin Shutler. The shot curved toward the far post, but Shutler made a diving save and parried the ball away. The visitors weren’t done, and the follow up shot forced Shutler to jump back up to make a second fantastic save.
The boys in Orange and Black responded shortly thereafter in kind; Guimaraes started the play by stopping another Rhode Island attack near the touchline. The ball eventually got to Dunbar in the center, and he quickly sent a prolific pass into open space on the right side. Bryce Jamison rushed forward to collect and take the ball into the box. He looked for a cross, but no one was available, so instead, he took the shot himself at a wide angle and buried the ball into the far corner of the net, giving Orange County a 1-0 lead.
Doghman almost doubled the lead just a minute later after a turnover in the middle of the pitch. Dunbar got the ball to Zubak, who sent a touch outside for Doghman to collect and take it into the box. He crossed in a perfect ball that only needed to be tapped in, but Dunbar could not find the pace to reach the ball, and the opportunity was narrowly missed, ending the half with a one-goal lead.
SECOND HALF:
In the second half, the County Boys tried a much more possession-based strategy and waited for gaps in Rhode Island's performance to exploit. Unfortunately, their opponents weren't making many mistakes.
And neither was Orange County. Although they held a 1-0 advantage over Rhode Island, the battle between the two clubs was pretty even, with the opposition having a few more chances on goal. And in the 54th minute, they nearly equalized things: Rhode Island took things up the middle, completely bypassing the OC’s midfield. A through ball was sent to Albert Dikwa at the top corner of the box, who shot with pace towards goal. If it weren't for a fantastic save from Shutler, he would have found the back of the net.
The true hero of the match was undoubtedly Colin Shutler, who still had to work hard to keep his team in the lead for the remainder of the half. In the 68th minute, Noah Fuson crossed it into the box, and Dikwa volleyed the shot on target, but again, Shutler was there with a reaction save to keep OC in the lead. Finally, in added time, Rhode Island earned a corner kick, but their final chance on goal was punched away.
The final whistle blew, and Orange County SC earned all three points against their first meeting with Rhode Island FC.
OVERVIEW:
Orange County won this Saturday, mainly due to Danny Stone's leadership. It was only his second game at the helm, and he already displayed a unique understanding of the strengths of each individual player that could help the squad—moving Ryan Doghman to a more offensive role to get the ball into the final third and cross it creating a handful of dangerous opportunities. Another significant change was putting Cameron Dunbar in the center, where he utilized his ball control and quick passing skills, leading to the night's only goal.
It was the defense and goalkeeping that saved the night, however. Colin Shutler gave one of his season's best performances, making six considerable saves to keep his team in the lead. The debut of upcoming star Pedro Guimaraes at left back was a sight for sore eyes. He is a talent who was able to hold his own against more experienced players and allowed Doghman to move further up the field.
More than one victory will be needed to get this team into the playoffs, though; only a significant win streak will secure a spot, as there are limited points available. Hopefully, Stone can keep improving the squad next weekend when Orange County SC hits the road to face off against Monterey Bay FC on September 21st at 7:00 pm PST.