Orange County SC winger Jerry van Wolfgang. | Photo courtesy of Orange County SC/Liza Rosales
Carson, Calif., 5/25/19 - On a cold and windy Carson evening, Orange County SC and fans traveled north on the 405 for a clash against LA Galaxy II, the first match between the sides in 2019, looking for three points and a chance to move up the Western Conference table. Orange County got two goals on the evening, but they were book-ended by two goals from the home squad, as they played to a 2-2 draw.
Fans barely had a chance to grab something to eat and drink by the time LA found the back of the net, as Brian Iloski scored after a quality save on the goal line by Owusu-Ansah Kontor landed right at his feet.
The remainder of the first half featured some solid back and forth action after OCSC settled into the match. In the 9th minute, OC winger Darwin Jones sent in a nice cross that found Michael Seaton 6 yards in front of the goal, but Seaton was unable to control the ball and get a clean shot off. Later in the first half, LA had an opportunity to double their lead after a nice feed to Augustine Williams. Luckily for the visitors, goalkeeper Patrick McLain came off his line, made himself big, and blocked the ball away.
Orange County was able to get a couple more shots off, one on target by Seaton in the 20th minute, which was tipped away by LA goalie Justin Vom Steeg. There was yet another chance in the 35th minute when Jones got a shot on goal off a nice feed from Harry Forrester which was again saved by Vom Steeg, keeping LA on top 1-0 heading into halftime.
OCSC came out more focused right off the whistle in the second half, and it paid off when Aodhan Quinn scored his 5th goal of the season when he sent in a free kick that took a couple bounces in front of LA keeper Von Steeg. No outfield players from either team reached the ball and it bounced into the goal to even the score at 1-1.
In the 57th minute, OC had a scare as McLain was forced to make a spectacular one handed save that he deflected onto the crossbar, and the ball was eventually played out for a corner. On the ensuing corner, he was knocked to the ground by a Galaxy player, and OC was out of trouble, for the time being. LA threatened again in the 64th minute as Kai Koreniuk sent a high cross that found an open Williams, who just couldn’t find his balance to put a header on target.
Orange County finally went ahead in the 77th minute when Harry Forrester delivered a superb cross into the box, and Vinicius, who had just entered the match five minutes earlier, put a clean head to the ball to sneak past the LA keeper.
McLain was called upon in the 80th minute, when Juninho put a free kick to the top of the goal. The OC keeper made a Save of the Week quality save, as he pushed the ball away, maintaining his team’s lead late in the match.
Unfortunately for OC, they gave up an equalizer in extra time off a corner kick sent in by Juninho. Frank Lopez was able to get his head on the ball to put it past McLain. The final whistle would blow just a couple minutes later, and Orange County would leave Carson with just one point, instead of the much more desirable three.
Despite the result, Orange County have now gone undefeated in their last five USL Championship matches, picking up seven points in those matches. They will look to earn a full three points on Saturday, June 1 at Championship Soccer Stadium as they host an in-form Rio Grande Valley FC team.
Scoring:
2”: Brian Iloski
50”: Aodhan Quinn
77”: Vinicius (Harry Forrester)
90+2”: Frank Lopez (Juninho)
Discipline:
10”: Joe Amico (Yellow)
51”: Darwin Jones (Yellow)
85”: Aodhan Quinn (Yellow)
88”: Vinicius (Yellow)