Photos from Saturday’s exciting USL match: LA Galaxy II tops OC Soccer Club 2-1

OCSC forward Vinicius Damasceno De Paula attempts to break free from LA Galaxy II defender Omar Ontiveros, who got a yellow card on the play during the first half. (Photos: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)

Orange  County Soccer Club welcomed its regional rivals Los Angeles Galaxy II to Championship Stadium, hoping to get back to their winning ways at home. Orange County also welcomed two new signings to USL Championship play: Edson Alvarado and Michael Orozco.

To see the slide show, please click on the first photo

The  game started very much in Orange County’s favor with both Vinicius and Darwin Jones finding some space deep in the attacking third, but neither player managed to get a shot on goal. They continued to press and in the 10th minute Liam Trotter found a loose  ball and put the shot on goal, but it did not challenge LA’s keeper.

In  the 27th minute Jones found himself in on goal again, but the ball jumped up at the wrong moment and the shot was blocked by Galaxy keeper Justin vom Steeg.

In  the 31st minute, Los Angeles turned up the pressure on the OC back line, but keeper Patrick McLain came up with two amazing saves that will most likely find themselves nominated for save of the week.

Orange  County defended several corner and free kicks from Los Angeles without much trouble for the defense, who was probably the first half Man of the Match. He kept OC even with LA, and Jerry van Wolfgang almost put OC up by a goal in the 44th minute after a Darwin

 Jones cut back pass found him alone right by the penalty spot, but his shot sailed just to the right of the post. While OC had a great half, they still were unable to find a goal and settled for a 0-0 scoreline at the half. 

The  second half did not start the way Orange County wanted, when Frank Lopez found himself in on goal and beat McLain to put Los Angeles up by a goal in the 47th minute.

In  the 54th minute Vinicius found the equalizer as the ball came to him off the LA keeper and he pounced on the rebound to draw Orange County even. Orange County kept pushing and challenging Los Angeles, including Aodhan Quinn, whose shot in the 60th minute was  pushed over the bar.

Orange  County defended well and kept attacking. Quinn and Trotter combined for a really great chance in the 83rd minute that vom Steeg found at the last minute to keep the game even.

In  the 86th minute, Los Angeles took advantage of a defensive mishap and Lopez found himself in on goal again, and he found space between Alvarado and McLain to slot the ball in and break the hearts of the Orange County fans.

Orange  County kept fighting to find the equalizer, but couldn’t find the back of the net. It was a tough loss for a team that played well for much of the game. After the game Daniel Crisostomo said, “we played well in moments, we just have to put a full ninety  together, and we haven’t done that all season.” He added, “we have to be dangerous, we have to be a focused, disciplined, hard working team, and the rest will come.”

Coach  Braeden Cloutier talked about their next match:

“The good thing is we get a quick turnaround. The way things are going right now leaves a sour taste in everybody’s mouth. We want to get back out on the field as quick as possible and redeem ourselves.”

Orange  County hope to do just that on the road against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks on the 4th of July at 6 p.m.

-Story Courtesy OC Soccer Club