After an Open Cup match during the midweek, USL sides resume their league play on Saturday. Fortunes differed for the two sides, and Austin Bold FC have an additional day of rest compared to Orange County SC.

Naturally there is no history between the two sides, but many of the players for the Bold have dressed for other USL sides in their careers. Most notable of the bunch is Austin goalkeeper Diego Restrepo, who had a torrid experience against Orange County in 2018, allowing six goals over two matches.

Orange County enters the match with a mixed run of form following last week’s draw in San Antonio, but Austin enters with an abysmal away record. The Bold have only scored once and earned just one point on the road, both of which were accomplished in the opening two weeks of the season. Such a record will surely be on the minds of the Bold players, meaning they will almost certainly attempt to strike first and control the rest of the game.

Austin is a team with the ‘Brazilian factor.’ Head coach Marcelo Serrano leads a small contingent of Brazilians in Kleber Giacomazzi, André Lima, and Marcelo Saragosa who have thus far totaled just under 1200 minutes on the pitch, with five goals between the trio. But match fitness is a worrying factor for the team: just three outfield players have yet to be substituted for the Texas side.

The speed and youth of OCSC cannot be overlooked, even after the grueling midweek match. Pacy wingers Darwin Jones, Jerry van Wolfgang, and OC’s own Brazilian striker Vinicius have punished teams throughout the first third of the season, creating dangerous scoring chances and even netting goals themselves. Factor in Michael Seaton and the combination of OC attackers should prove dangerous for the Bold and add to their combined nine goals.

The match kicks off at 7pm at Championship Stadium at the Orange County Great Park. The game will also be broadcast live on ESPN+ in the United States.

Highlights:

• OCSC’s shots-to-goals conversion rate of 18% is fifth best in the West.

• Austin Bold FC’s goal tally is third-worst in the USL, having scored just eight goals thus far.