September 15th, Match #29 - Orange County SC vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
No, Orange County cannot clinch a playoff spot just yet.
Orange County can however make the race to clinch the best record in the West much more interesting than it already is with a win on Friday. There really is a lot to unpack in this game preview so before discussing the upcoming game, we will first talk about possibly the biggest news of the season. Orange County’s all-time leading scorer Milan Iloski has agreed to a permanent transfer to Danish side FC Nordsjælland. It is a five year deal that will begin in January of 2024; which means that Milan will remain with Orange County for this regular season and subsequent postseason. It is a tough pill to swallow to see one of the best players in club history move on from Southern California but ultimately it should be a positive move as it is just another of the many profitable transfers of OC players to top-flight European clubs.
OCSC Points to the Playoff: June Recap & July Preview
Hey, things are looking up!
After a dismal May which saw Orange County Soccer Club pick up just 4 points across 5 games (0.8 PPG), the team rebounded in a big way in the month of June with 9 points across 4 games (2.25 PPG). Outside of a four-goal clunker in Colorado, OCSC had three clean sheets, thanks in large part to a locked-in backline and Colin “Shutout” Shutler.
Game 1 Recap: OCSC 2-0 Win vs. Rio Grande Valley FC
Game 2 Recap: OCSC 0-4 Loss @ Colorado Springs Switchbacks
Game 3 Recap: OCSC 3-0 Win @ FC Tulsa
Game 4 Recap: OCSC 1-0 Win @ Detroit City FC
Do Preseason Results Matter?
Let’s be honest, we always want to win games. Whether it is for league position or bragging rights, a good win puts everyone in a positive mood.
However, one thing is very apparent: preseason is a period where the final result does not matter as much as playing time and getting ready for the regular season. The preseason is rather defined by teams testing out different lineups and formations against mostly local teams both professional and not.
