On a typically cool Bay Area afternoon, Bryce Jamison’s first goal of 2025 was enough for Orange County SC to beat Oakland Roots SC on Saturday afternoon. While it did not change OCSC’s Jägermeister Cup fortunes, they did spoil Oakland’s chance of advancing out of Group A.
Orange County started an incredibly young side, with a number of senior players earning the weekend off and not even traveling to Oakland. It was an opportunity for Danny Stone to rotate and evaluate his squad depth, and an opportunity for young players to shine, a key aspect of the club’s identity.
And shine they did: a number of young players started, including Cheick Kone, Gavin Karam, and Pedro Guimaraes. The performance was a significant improvement from April’s visit, a 2-0 loss, though it nearly started similarly.
Just six minutes in, Tet Kadono was forced into a double save after Oakland sprung a counter attack down their right flank. The hosts continued to have the majority of opportunities, but no clear cut chances as Orange County’s youth harried their opponents.
Stephen Kelly had Orange County’s first good chance in the 21st minute. As Jamison spun his defender and broke down the line, he looked to the middle of the pitch. He found Cameron Dunbar, who flicked the ball on to the top of the box, where Kelly side-footed his effort towards goal, forcing the Roots’ Raphael Spiegel into his first save of the afternoon.
But OC kept causing trouble through Jamison. In the 30th minute, Kone sprung his winger with a through ball that just split the Oakland back line. Jamison needed just one touch to just get past his man before floating his shot from distance, finding the far post and the back of the net.
Barjolo tried for Orange County’s second just moments later, cutting in from the left onto his preferred right foot, but just slicing his shot just too wide of the near post.
OC went into the break up 1-0.
The orange and black (or white, as it were) started the second half well, as Kone won a free header from a corner. Unfortunately, the striker’s effort was right at Spiegel.
In the 54th minute, Ashton Miles made his mark on the match. As the Roots broke forward, EJ Johnson caught onto a ball over the top of the back line. The forward did well to bring the ball down, knocking it past an onrushing Kadono in the process. Johnson shot quickly as his angle on goal rapidly closed, but Miles, recovering to the back line, did enough to stop the ball and knock it off of the goal line as he fell into the net. Kadono recovered as the Roots had no one else in the OC box.
Little of note followed, as Oakland controlled the game and looked for an equalizer.
Late on, Mo War came on for Dunbar, and like he did against Las Vegas, pressed aggressively. He forced a mistake from the Spiegel, who took a very heavy touch under pressure. Trager, War’s opposite, nearly marked his return from injury, but his rushed shot karomed off the crossbar and out of play.
Oakland offered one last chance on target in extra time, but Kadono saved comfortably. Still under pressure, OC conceded a corner a moment later. Even as the hosts sent their keeper forward, Orange County did well to hack the delivery away and earn the win.
It wasn’t always pretty, and it wasn’t always in control, but Orange County earned their fifth clean sheet in six matches. Orange County’s young players showed again that they’re a force to be reckoned with, breaking Group A hearts for a second straight cup match. OC’s starter’s average age was just 21.9 years, their youngest ever group of starters.
OC, with many starters rested, is in action again on Wednesday, July 30th, as Phoenix Rising comes to Orange County. The match marks OC’s Pride Night.